He immediately orders his wife, his son Otto, and his daughter Ursula – who was once in love with Ago – to prepare to repel his arrival.
Otto and his wife Sofie, far more moderate than Traugott, greet Ago with open arms, and immediately begin questioning him about his ties to communism, excitedly seeing it as "the latest thing".
He has written a book describing his new philosophy, and he states he has only returned to sell his estate in order to finance its publication.
Ursula mentions his manuscript; Traugott sees this as the source of Ago's power, and decides that the only way to beat his enemy is to have that book destroyed.
Ursula quickly deduces that Ago's personal feelings for her contradict the teachings in his book, and uses this combined with her sexual influence to weaken his position.
Traugott, defiant to the end, instead insisting on turning himself in to the authorities, shouting the final line: "Above all there must be order and justice in Germany!
However, in August 2011, both The Fossil and Paul Schippel Esq., another of Sternheim's comedies, were performed as a double-bill at the Charing Cross Theatre, London, with Alex Corbet Burcher in the title role.