In West German literature of the 20th century, the realistic work of the famous prose writer and playwright Leonhard Frank (1882–1961) occupies a special place. The Nazi regime that came to power in Germany in 1933 turned out to be incompatible with the artist’s personal freedom. Within a few years, most famous writers left the country, including Leonhard Frank. It was in emigration that his significant works appeared, included in the Collected Works. The second volume of selected works included the novels “Matilda” and “On the left, where the heart is.” In “Matilda”, the writer, using the example of the fate of the main character, showed the bourgeois society of Europe gripped by pre-war fever. In the autobiographical work “On the left, where the heart is,” the author sums up his life and creative path.