One character in this work is criticized by the protagonist for making a yo
One character in this work is criticized by the protagonist for making a young child hold a loaded gun, which eventually led to the child's death.  That character had also labeled the protagonist a "defeatist," an accusation that precipitated one of two incidents in which the protagonist remembers his father exhibiting compassion.  The protagonist's brother Leo has converted to Catholicism, something the protagonist wouldn't do for his lover.  He recalls his dead sister being sent by her mother, now the head of a committee to reconcile racial difference,  to protect her from the "Yankee Jews."  The protagonist is extremely critical of Prelate Sommerwild and Mr. Kinkel after the Catholic Herbert Z?pfner marries his former mistress, Marie Derkum.  Ending with the protagonist singing "Poor Pope John," this is, for 10 points, what novel about former entertainer Hans Schneier by Heinrich B?ll?
One character in this work is criticized by the protagonist for making a young child hold a loaded gun, which eventually led to the child's death.  
The Clown or Ansichten eines Clowns