Petitebutagileeighty-two-year-oldMariaSchmidleitnerisgoingtospendsometimeonahouseboatinruralBrandenburgwithherobesesonPeter(63).AstheyareinthecaronthemotorwayontheirwaytotheboatPeterinsistsonpickingupayounghitchhikeragainsthismother’swishes,butwhentheyoungmanonlyexacerbatestheperennialmother-and-sonconflictheisquicklydroppedoffagain.NosooneraretheyonboardthehouseboatthanMumturnsherson’safflictionsintoherweaponanddrivesPetercrazywithherconstantquestionsabouthisbloodpressureandglucoselevels.ButallPeterwantsisherlove.Hislatecomingout,hersentimentalmemoriesofHitlerandtheirconstantarguments,butalsotheiraffectionforeachothercometoanabruptendwhentheboat’smotorconksout.Withtheirboatdisabledandmotherandsoninastateofcompletepanic,theysuddenlydiscoverastowawayonboard.WhilePeterfeelsdrawntowardsthestranger,hismotherfearsthelossofcivilisationandallsheholdsdearinherhomeland.Allatonce,herpettypersonalterrordromebecomesanentireworldofviolenceandmurder.InGLAUBE,LIEBE,TODPeterKerncriticisesboththefearenshrinedinthe‘clashofcivilisations’mentalityandtheinabilitytolove.