Set in Rerik, Germany, in the pre-war period of Nazi rule, "Sansibar" is a powerful tale of escape. Drawing on autobiographical experiences, Andersch recounts the fear and loneliness of those threatened by the Nazis, and the passive coersion of the silent majority as they turn a blind eye to the acts of terror, or worse, as they inform on their fellow man in order to protect themselves. The town of Rerik is the backdrop to the story, where Andersch lets us glimpse everyday life going on as usual, but this is injected with sinister implications. The novel is heavy with the feeling of being hunted, under suspicion, immensely vulnerable. Andersch makes the reader care desperately about the fate of his characters and whether they manage to find their freedom.