Austerlitz is obsessed with filling the gaps in his past, only discovering his real name later in life. His search for identity is inseparable from uncovering the history of his Jewish family who disappeared in the Holocaust, demonstrating how trauma deeply affects human psychology and present perception.

The novel confronts readers with the horrors of the past, particularly the Holocaust. Through Austerlitz's memories of deportation and persecution, the brutality of the Nazi regime becomes tangible, connecting individual story with Europe's collective history.

Descriptions of places and buildings play a central role, with monumental structures like Antwerp Central Station and Theresienstadt fortress symbolizing human hubris and transience while reflecting Austerlitz's internal state of uncertainty and search for stability.