With Nino Haratischwili, Maia Panjikidze, Barbara Fontaine 
Host: Ingo Herzke 

With ‘Das mangelnde Licht’ (The Lack of Light), Nino Haratischwili has created a novel that has had an impact far beyond the German-speaking world. Numerous translations testify to the international attention the novel has received – and to the importance of promoting translation for cultural exchange across borders.    

How does a story change when it is recreated in another language? What specific challenges did the translators face? And what does the global resonance of a book reveal about the themes that connect us?   

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Goethe-Institut, the author meets her translators Barbara Fontaine and Dr Maia Panjikidze, who translated the novel into French and Georgian.   

Readings in three languages and a discussion about the poetic, political and emotional layers of the text open up a space where international perspectives on contemporary German literature become visible.  

An event in cooperation with the Literaturhaus Hamburg.