Mademoiselle Fifi (short story)

The main characters of the story are quickly introduced: the Major, a dignified and cultured German aristocrat; his Captain, a boorish and lecherous minor Prussian landowner; two lieutenants from the Prussian bourgeoisie; and the title character, a handsome but arrogant and extremely unpleasant German sub-lieutenant known to his comrades as "Mademoiselle Fifi" due to his effeminate manner.

After a boring lunch, the aristocratic captain suggests a dinner party, and sends an army transport wagon to the local town to bring back some prostitutes to keep the officers company.

The German officers become curious that the next day, the church bell in the village, which has been silent as a sign of national mourning, is suddenly ringing again.

The German officers in the novel are all outrageous stereotypes; they all sport beards, have blond or bright red hair, and are depicted as pompous, uncultured men.

Fifi himself combines the worst stereotypes of the Germans; he is violent, immoral, arrogant, and takes great delight in pointlessly smashing priceless antiques and objets d'art in the chateau.