1. The Trottas

This is the story of the Trottas, a family of Slovenian peasants ennobled when Lieutenant Joseph Trotta saves Emperor Franz Joseph's life at the Battle of Solferino in 1859.

Most of the action, however, is set in the early years of the 20th century and concerns the next two generations of Trottas, a bureaucrat and a soldier: the Baron - stiff, guarded, but secretly loving - and his son, the feckless, disaster-prone Carl Joseph.

Joseph Roth's most celebrated novel is all about the ending of things: love affairs, friendships, individual lives, dynasties, an empire, a world.

Starring Henry Goodman and Paul Ready.

Dramatised in two-parts by Gregory Evans.

Literary critic Harold Blom described Joseph Roth's The Radetzky March as "One of the most readable, poignant and superb novels in 20th century German".

Joseph Roth ...... Henry Goodman
Carl Joseph ...... Paul Ready
Franz Von Trotta ...... Sam Dale
Demant ...... Scott Handy
Barenstein ...... Gunnar Cauthery
Moser ...... Chris Pavlo
Eva ...... Joannah Tincey
Jacques ...... John Rowe
Josef Von Trotta ...... Paul Stonehouse
Onufrij ...... Ben Crowe
Kovacs ...... Robert Blythe
Kindermann ...... Matthew Watson
Sternberg ...... David Seddon
Frau Slama ...... Hannah Wood
Aunt Resi ...... Joanna Brookes

Piano and Trumpet played by Peter Ringrose

Director: Marc Beeby

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2013.