Irony of Contentment
After being usurped by Adolf Hitler and his followers, Kaiser Wilhelm II was exiled from his spot as king of Germany to the Netherlands. He stayed in Huis Doorn with his wife and staff, in a magnificent palace that had everything he could really need. Supposedly, he was content with his quiet life in the rural countryside, with all the necessities of life as well as the people closed to him. However, as soon as the German army moved into Netherlands and came into contact with him, the Kaiser was no longer content with what he had and had a strong desire to become the king of Germany once more.
Irony of Women's Complacency
A prevalent idea throughout the novel, especially due to the time period it was based in, was that women could not play a major role in society and were to remain quiet and passive. This idea is further perpetrated by the fact that women were not allowed to fight in this war. Yet there are two examples in the book that show the irony of women's complacency. One is where the Kaiser's wife vehemently urges to try to obtain a position of power in the German government once more, consistently whispering to him to leave their estate and try to regain some of the glory they once had. Another example is that Akki is a British woman yet she holds a significant role in the plot as well as the background because of her role as a spy for the United Kingdom.
Irony of Hatred
Krebbs was a senior SS Officer from Germany and was devoutly loyal to Nazism and its ideals. He also had a strong hatred for Jewish people and blamed them for the economic downfalls of Germany. Despite this strong hatred, he ends up falling in love with Akki, a Jewish woman, and continues to stay with her despite knowing she is Jewish and continues to love her.
Irony of Leadership
Kaiser Wilhelm II is supposed to be a leader for his country of Germany. Even after being removed from the throne, he still has a duty to stay loyal to his country and is supposed to e the least likely person to commit an act of treason. However his leadership soon fades away and he is shown to be in contact with Winston Churchill, over his possible refuge in Britain and the release of military secrets. In the end he flees from the conflict, showing the irony of leadership.
Irony of Civilization
The German army and their leadership consider their nation and their people to be the height of civilization. They have the most sophisticated military technology of the countries fighting in the war and are supposedly a part of the superior race. Minorities, Jews, and other various groups of people are supposedly below them and are barbarians compared to the heightened sense of civilization that these Nazis have. However, they perform cruel acts of savagery and barbary on small children. They slaughter, plunder, and rape as they march through Western Europe and act like the horrific monsters and barbarians they seem to hate and were supposed to be the opposite of.
