Mrs Fischer’s War tells the story of a married couple, Carl and Janet Fischer, during the First World War. Carl was born in Germany but to escape a stern father and the restrictions of German life, including the obligation to serve in the army, he settled in England as a young man. Here he has a successful business and has prospered. Janet is English, and adores her husband. They have a thoroughly English son, John. Life for the family is good: comfortable, loving, and full of shared interests.   Carl’s passion for England makes him “more English than any Englishman”. Then the discovery of his grandmother’s diary awakens in him the desire to see the town where she and his family lived. He and Janet plan a camping holiday in Germany. It gets off to a bad start when John sprains his ankle and is unable to go with them. And, too, there are the rumours of war. But Janet’s sister offers to look after John, they shrug off the rumours, and off they go. At first everything about...