One wrong word, one perceived insult – a small matter may begin a chain of events resulting in tragedy. This was the case with Anothai S., who died in a brawl in Hamburg in September 2014. A quote from the circumstances of this death, reconstructed by Bruno Schrep for the SPIEGEL magazine, has given this book its title. “At Night, Everyone is an Enemy” compiles true stories of people who have been torn from their normal lives and plunged into despair from one moment to the next. In one case, it is a rumour that destroys all plans – the accusation of having abused children. Likewise, the information that your father and mother, who raised you, are not your biological parents, can turn your life upside down. And many an accident destroys not only the life of the victim, but also that of the person who caused the accident. As an accurate observer, Bruno Schrep describes human tragedies with empathy, but also with a keen eye for structural problems.