Class 12

“We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with,” said M. Hamel. Comment.

M. Hamel blamed himself, the students and the parents of his students for neglecting the study of the French language. They had all needlessly postponed the learning. He himself had sent his students to water his flowers and sometimes gave them a holiday when he had wanted to go fishing.

“What a thunderclap these words were to me!” Which were the words that shocked and surprised Franz?

M. Hamel announced in the class that this would be the last French lesson he would be teaching them. He disclosed that an order had come from Berlin. All the schools of Alsace and Lorraine would now teach only German. The new teacher was to come the next day. The news left everyone shocked and…

Why were the old men of the village sitting in the classroom on the last day of the lesson?

The village people, including the former Mayor, the former postmaster, old Hauser and several others, occupied the back benches in the classroom on the day of the last lesson. They had come to pay respect to the teacher, M. Hamel for his faithful service and also to the country that was no longer theirs. Being…