Start of the 13th European Literature Days from 18.11. to 21.11.2021
Festival opens with the Iraqi writer Najem Wali at the Klangraum Krems Minoritenkirche
Reading and discussion with Navid Kermani and presentation to the author of the Austrian Book Trade Honorary Award for Tolerance in Thought and Action
Readings, conversations, concerts and exhibitions, including with Christoph Ransmayr, Felicitas Hoppe, Erik Fosnes Hansen, Peter Frankopan, Elisa Shua Dusapin, Johny Pitts and Erika Fatland.
After the experiences of lockdown, the European Literature Days return with a new headline theme: “Travel Routes. On the Road to Be Free?”. Because as people longed for foreign travel and to be on the move again, critical questions were also raised about our desire for travel. This year international writers and literature enthusiasts get together again at local venues in Krems to discuss cultural and social policy issues such as, for example, the permeability of borders, the symbolism of historically established travel routes and patriarchal travel clichés.
At the traditional festival opening on Thursday evening in the Klangraum Krems Minoritenkirche, the Iraqi-born writer living in Germany, Najem Wali, gives a keynote talk on the Balkan routes, followed by a discussion with Cathrin Kahlweit, the Vienna correspondent for the Süddeutsche Zeitung. British historian Peter Frankopan next presents a talk on the Silk Road and a potential new world order. On Friday and Saturday, the discussions and readings continue, among others, with Kapka Kassabova and Erika Fatland, Priya Basil and Johny Pitts, Patricia Portela and Mathijs Deen, Elisa Shua Dusapin and Lana Bastašić. During the evenings, Katja Gasser and Veronika Trubel invite participants to enjoy events with accompanying musical recitals and art exhibitions with Felicitas Hoppe, Christoph Ransmayr and Erik Fosnes Hansen and others. The European Literature Days close on Sunday with the presentation of this year’s Austrian Book Trade Honorary Award for Tolerance in Thought and Action to Navid Kermani.
The daily bulletins by Viktoria Strobl and Irene Zanol are available on the blog of the European Literature Days (www.literaturhauseuropa.eu) and afterwards on Okto.TV. In addition, Beat Mazenauer introduces a special book choice in the 3-Minute Book Reviews.
For full details of the programme as well as information about tickets and the current Covid safety guidelines, please visit our website.