Explore the real-world places that appear in All for Nothing by Walter Kempowski. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Georgenhof Manor House, Königsberg, The Great Road, Allenstein, The Forest and 5 more.
Rural East Prussia — The von Globig family estate
The decaying manor house where Katharina von Globig lives with her twelve-year-old son Peter and Auntie, who manages the estate. The house receives a parade of strange visitors during the winter of 1944-45: a Nazi violinist, a dissident painter, a Baltic baron, and even a Jewish refugee. As German forces retreat and the Red Army approaches, the family continues their routine of denial and banal domesticity until reality finally intrudes.
East Prussian manor houses were the centers of vast agricultural estates owned by German nobility and wealthy landowners. These estates formed the backbone of the region's economy and social structure for centuries until the Soviet advance in 1945.
Most East Prussian manor houses were destroyed during or after World War II. The few that remain are in various states of ruin or have been converted to other uses in what is now Poland and the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia.
East Prussian Capital — Military headquarters and cultural center
The regional capital where Eberhard von Globig serves as a special officer in the German army before going to war. The city represents the established order and German cultural identity that the characters cling to even as it crumbles around them. News from Königsberg filters back to the Georgenhof, bringing updates on the war's progress and the approaching Soviet forces.
Founded in 1255, Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia and home to Immanuel Kant. It was a major German cultural and intellectual center, famous for its university and Gothic cathedral. The city was heavily damaged in 1944-45 during Soviet bombardment and ground fighting.
Now called Kaliningrad, it is the capital of Russia's westernmost exclave. Most of the old German architecture was destroyed and replaced with Soviet-era buildings. The cathedral has been rebuilt and houses a museum dedicated to Kant.
Visit: Kaliningrad Cathedral (Kant Museum) (museum)
Main refugee route through East Prussia
The road beside the Georgenhof that fills with German civilians fleeing the occupied territories as the Red Army advances. Peter watches the endless stream of refugees with their carts, belongings, and desperate faces. The road serves as a constant reminder of the war's reality that the family tries to ignore, bringing news, visitors, and eventually forcing them to confront their own need to flee.
These roads carried hundreds of thousands of German civilians westward during the winter of 1944-45 in what became known as the 'Flight and Expulsion.' Many died from cold, starvation, or Soviet attacks during this mass exodus from East Prussia.
The road networks of former East Prussia are now part of Poland and Russia's transportation systems. Some follow the same routes used by refugees in 1945, now carrying normal traffic between modern cities and towns.
Regional town — Administrative center
A regional administrative center where the von Globig family has connections and business. The town represents the bureaucratic machinery of the German state that continues functioning even as the military situation deteriorates. Characters travel here for official business and to maintain the illusion of normalcy.
Allenstein was an important regional center in East Prussia, serving as the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Allenstein. It was the site of a famous 1920 plebiscite where residents voted to remain part of Germany rather than join Poland.
Now called Olsztyn, it is a major city in northern Poland and the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. The medieval castle now houses a museum, and the city is known for its universities and cultural life.
Visit: Museum of Warmia and Mazury (museum)
Surrounding the Georgenhof — Peter's refuge
The dense forest surrounding the manor where twelve-year-old Peter retreats to read and escape the increasingly tense atmosphere at home. The forest represents both childhood innocence and the wild, uncontrollable forces that will soon overwhelm the ordered world of the estate. Peter's solitary walks here contrast with the chaos building on the roads.
East Prussia was heavily forested, with vast woodlands that provided timber and hunting grounds for the estates. These forests were also strategic military positions during both world wars and served as hiding places for various groups.
Much of the original forest remains in what is now the borderlands between Poland and the Kaliningrad Oblast. Some areas are protected nature reserves, while others continue to be managed for timber production.
Visit: Puszcza Romincka Forest (park)
Eastern town — Early site of Soviet advance
An eastern town that falls early to the Red Army advance, sending shock waves through the region. News of Gumbinnen's capture reaches the Georgenhof and surrounding area, marking the beginning of the end for German control of East Prussia. The town's fate foreshadows what awaits other communities, including the von Globigs.
Gumbinnen was the site of major battles in both World Wars. In August 1914, it saw the first major German defeat on the Eastern Front. In January 1945, it was one of the first major East Prussian cities to fall to the Soviet offensive.
Now called Gusev, it is a small city in the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia. Little remains of the original German architecture, as the city was largely rebuilt in the Soviet era with typical concrete apartment blocks and administrative buildings.
Near Hohenstein — Monument to German victory
The massive memorial to the 1914 German victory over Russian forces, representing the military glory and German identity that characters like the Nazi violinist invoke. The memorial serves as a symbol of past German dominance in the region, now rendered meaningless by the approaching Soviet forces who will soon control all of East Prussia.
Built between 1924-1927 to commemorate the German victory at the Battle of Tannenberg in 1914, the monument was a symbol of German military might. It was destroyed by German forces in January 1945 to prevent it from falling into Soviet hands.
Only foundations and rubble remain at the site. A small monument to the battle erected by Poland stands nearby. The area is now farmland with scattered remnants of the massive German memorial.
Visit: Battle of Tannenberg Monument Site (historic site)
Border town on the Memel River — Strategic crossing
A strategic town on the border with Lithuania where refugees and military personnel cross the Memel River. The town serves as a bottleneck for the fleeing German population and a key military position. Characters discuss news from Tilsit as the Soviet advance threatens to cut off escape routes.
Tilsit was famous for the Treaty of Tilsit signed by Napoleon and Tsar Alexander I in 1807. Located on the Memel River, it was an important trading center and border town. The city was heavily contested during both world wars.
Now called Sovetsk, it is a Russian city in the Kaliningrad Oblast. The historic center was largely destroyed and rebuilt in Soviet style. Some German-era buildings survive, including parts of the bridge where the famous treaty was signed.
Visit: Queen Louise Bridge (historic site)
Railway junction town — Military transport hub
A crucial railway junction that serves as a transport hub for German military operations and civilian evacuations. The town's railway connections make it strategically vital for both the German retreat and the Soviet advance. Characters receive news of fighting around Insterburg as transportation networks collapse.
Insterburg was a major railway center in East Prussia, connecting lines from Königsberg to Lithuania and Poland. During World War II, it was heavily fortified as part of German defensive positions and saw fierce fighting during the Soviet offensive.
Now called Chernyakhovsk, it remains an important railway junction in the Kaliningrad Oblast. The city was rebuilt in Soviet style after extensive war damage. Some German-era railway infrastructure still functions today.
Coastal waters — Escape route to the west
The large lagoon that separates the mainland from the Baltic Sea, serving as a potential escape route for refugees fleeing westward. As roads become impassable, desperate civilians attempt to cross the frozen lagoon or find boats. The lagoon represents both hope for escape and the treacherous nature of flight from the advancing Soviet forces.
The Vistula Lagoon has been a strategic waterway for centuries, providing access to the Baltic Sea. During the 1945 evacuation, thousands of German civilians attempted to cross the frozen lagoon, with many perishing when the ice broke or Soviet forces attacked.
The lagoon is now divided between Poland and Russia, with fishing villages and small ports on both sides. It remains an important waterway for local transportation and fishing, though much smaller in economic significance than in the past.
Visit: Frombork Cathedral (historic site)
More by Walter Kempowski: All Walter Kempowski books