European Literature Days: Get to Know Literature. Get Together in Wachau.
19–22 November 2020, Krems-Stein an der Donau
This year’s 12th European Literature Days 2020, due to ongoing safety precautions, are being held online and broadcast as a live-stream event // Ariadne von Schirach gives the keynote talk and joins in discussion with Robert Menasse // Award ceremony for the Austrian Book Trade Honorary Award for Tolerance in Thought and Action 2020 to A. L. Kennedy followed by a reading and conversation // Events include guest writers Petina Gappah, Matthias Politycki, Sjón, Polly Clark, Edo Popović and Olga Grjasnowa.
As a ray of hope in our uncertain times, the European Literature Days 2020 are going ahead as scheduled and as a live-stream broadcast of the festival events. The keynote topic “More Wilderness!” inspires international writers from different cultural contexts to ask questions, for example, What forms of wilderness exist? What do we fear? What personal experiences do we have beyond our social contacts?
This year the European Literature Days offer a broad spectrum of formats: interactive participation by the audience in talks and debates; short video portraits of the writers and interviews as well as readings; virtual exhibition tours and concerts. All events are broadcast from the Klangraum Krems Minoritenkirche with moderation by the hosts in English or dual languages.
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday, 19 November, 7:30pm
Defining Wilderness – Elusion, A Waste Land, Refreshing?
Keynote talk by Ariadne von Schirach: Wilderness. Come into the Open, Friend, and Be Amazed. Followed by Robert Menasse in conversation with Ariadne von Schirach
Live stream https://youtu.be/K9wB–JUo1Y
Friday, 20 November, 9:30am
What Do We Look For in the Wild – the Untamed Edge of the World?
Writers: Polly Clark and Dan Richards. Moderator: Rosie Goldsmith
Live stream: Writer Q&A interactive in English https://youtu.be/HoPumbJXXKI
Friday, 20 November, 11:30am
Who Inhabits the Wild – Pedestrians, Dreamers, the Lucky Ones?
Writers: Fabio Andina and Miek Zwamborn. Moderator: Rosie Goldsmith
Live stream: Writer Q&A interactive in English https://youtu.be/NYKza5Gia2o
Friday, 20 November, 2:30pm
Who Defines Wilderness – Explorers, Conquerors, Refugees?
Writers: Gergely Péterfy and Petina Gappah. Moderator: Rosie Goldsmith
Live stream: Writer Q&A interactive in English https://youtu.be/k8wI_PAY0iI
Friday, 20 November, 7:30pm
Literary-Artistic Soirée
Writers: Olga Grjasnowa, Michael Stavarič. Moderator Veronika Trubel. Followed by a virtual exhibition guided tour (State Gallery of Lower Austria)
Live stream: Reading and Exhibition Guided Tour https://youtu.be/tX3zvvSoZjI
Saturday, 21 November 2020, 10am
What Do We Learn from Walking?
Writers: Edo Popović, Matthias Politycki. Moderator: Rüdiger Wischenbart
Live stream: Writer Q&A interactive in German and English https://youtu.be/oEdbWmmBQbQ
Saturday, 21 November, 11:30am
Eating and Being Eaten or Collective Thinking?
Discussion on the keynote topic of the European Literature Days 2020 “More Wilderness”. Input: Andreas Weber: Indigenous Thinking. Discussion with Ariadne von Schirach. Moderator: Rüdiger Wischenbart
Live stream: Writer Q&A interactive in German https://youtu.be/mqMS1hUF094
Saturday, 21 November, 4:30pm
Vanished Worlds, Astonishing Trees, Wild Adventures
Writers: Peter Balko, Daniela Emminger, Anna Ospelt, Filip Springer. Moderator: Hans Koch
Live stream: Writer Q&A interactive in German and English https://youtu.be/9ptwfH9sQeQ
Saturday, 21 November, 7:30pm
Literary-Musical Soirée
Writer: Sjón. Reading: Johannes Silberschneider. Moderator: Katja Gasser Concert: Ernst Moldenand Ursula Strauss “Wüdnis”
Live stream: Reading and Concert https://youtu.be/LhuaPxIRfHg
Sunday, 22 November 2020, 11am
Literary-Musical Matinée/Award Ceremony
Presentation of the Honorary Award of the Austrian Book Trade for Tolerance in Thought and Action to A. L. Kennedy by HVB President Benedikt Föger. Reading and conversation with A. L. Kennedy. Laudatio: Sonja Zekri. Moderator: Katja Gasser. Concert: Mario Rom’s Interzone
Live stream Reading / Talk / Concert https://youtu.be/Lz-E4FDLmAI
Further information:
- You can find full details about the festival agenda, video channel and live chats online at https://www.literaturhauseuropa.eu/de
- Link to the live stream: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWpCbocfw6cDigv9ZUKVNDQ
- Information about how to register for the live stream: https://www.literaturhauseuropa.eu/de/europaeische-literaturtage/info/livestream
- The daily bulletin by the writer Daniela Emminger is available as a blog (www.literaturhauseuropa.eu) and afterwards on Okto.TV.