80 Years PEN Center of German-Speaking Writers Abroad

Saturday, June 28, 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.

80 years ago, the exiled writers Lion Feuchtwanger, Ernst Toller, Rudolf Olden and Max Herrmann-Neiße founded the German PEN Club in Exile in protest against the events in Germany. Many of the most important authors became members as well, representing the persecuted literature of the „other Germany“.

After WWII the „Exil-PEN“ changed its name into PEN Center for German-Speaking writers abroad“ . They are united in their support for persecuted writers worldwide.

This conference brings together writers from Germany, the U.S., Switzerland, and  Ireland

Concept: Gabrielle Alioth

Keynote address by Guy Stern

Readings and lectures by Gabrielle Alioth, Bernadette Conrad, Utz Rachowski, Renate Ahrens, Michael Eskin, Claudia Becker and Gino Leineweber

Panel discussion with Geertje Suhr Potash and Gerda Nischan“

Sunday, June 28, 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Members of the PEN Centre of German-Speaking Writers Abroad read from their work

(20’ each) introduced by Gabrielle Alioth

2:00 p.m.

Bernadette Conrad: The Many Lives of Paula Fox

Renate Ahrens:  Ernst Toller – Eine Beunruhigung(in German)

Gino Leineweber: Reading from his works

Egon Schwarz: Warum ich keinen Roman geschrieben habe, read by Irene Lindgren (in German

Michael Eskin: Poetry reading

4:15 p.m.

Gabrielle Alioth: Emigrating from Switzerland, a personal view

Utz Rachwoski: Reading from his work

Gerda Nischan: Reading from Letters to a Prisoner of War and other works

Claudia Becker: Reading from her works

Geertje Suhr Potash: Brief an den Geheimrat Goethe, and some Poems, Reading

Progams at the Max Kade Institute

Thursday, June 26 @ 7:00 p.m.

"AMERICAN TRACES IN CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE IN GERMAN"

Michael Eskin: American Traces in Contemporary Literature in German

Gabrielle Alioth: American Traces in Contemporary Swiss Literature

Renate Ahrens: A Mixture of Language: German-English Children’s Books

Bernadette Conrad: The Perception of American Writers in Germany

Monday, June 30 @ 7:00 p.m.

"EMIGRATION AND EMIGRANTS"

Gabrielle Alioth: Introduction and Reading from: Emigrated – Swiss Emigrants through 7 Centuries

Gino Leineweber: Explorers, Settlers – Francisco Pizarro and others

Renate Ahrens: Presentation and Reading from: Stefan Zweig – On the Threshold

(All contributions are in English unless otherwise stated)