On May 10th, the 80th anniversary of the book burning by the Nazis,  Villa Aurora Forum and Literaturhaus Berlin, supported by Atlantik-Bruecke commemorated the literature of then persecuted and banned authors and journalists.

In front of a packed house, the overwhelmingly intense and gracious Frank Arnold read texts by authors such as Pablo Neruda, Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Liao Yiwu and Joseph Brodsky. Ernest Wichner, Director of Literaturhaus, adeptly introduced the authors and gave the night a bitterly humorous ending with texts by 8th century Persian author, Abu Nuwas.