Initially, they live with Friederich’s relatives. He looks for their own place to live and for a business to buy. Unsatisfied with his first venture, he buys another. Due to his wartime injury, which left him virtually voiceless, he looks for a farm to by. He thinks such an occupation would be more suitable because he would have little or no contact with other people. After extensive searching, he finds just the farm which he thinks might even interest his relatives to join him in operating. They agree to work on the farm for a season in order to see whether or not it will be a success. In the fall of the first year, however, his sister persuades her husband to return to his factory job. She informs brother that the income from farming is not sufficient for two families, to say nothing of the third which has also arrived from Germany. When she tells him of what they plan to do, the breakup is horrendous. Emilie finds out even more information about her husband which she never knew.

The anxiety which it produces is gradually suppressed. As a consequence of what she learns about her husband, she becomes part of the wider conspiracy of silence which pervaded the Malin family for years, but which was always hidden from the wider community.

Undertaking to work the farm by themselves, Emilie and Friederich are tested to their maximum physically, financially and psychologically. He has spent his last Reichmarks in buying and equipping the farm. He no longer has any resources to fall back upon.

It is amazing they survive in the context of what they encounter on the farm.

Unfortunately for Emilie, and her family, the conspiracy of silence continues with the same sexual predilections of Friederich occurring from time to time. The key word in the conspiracy is SILENCE. There are certain subjects which these conspirators do not talk about, neither amongst themselves, nor among strangers. The only time the silence is broken is when a significant emotional experience awakens the persons who have been directly impacted by events over which they feel they have no control. Instead of trying to alter their circumstances, however, they continue to remain silent.