Bernhard Schlink reads from ‘Das späte Leben’

Reading with lawyer and author Bernhard Schlink and Nicola Steiner, director of the Literaturhaus Zürich: An inspiring evening. 
 
On 17 March 2025, the Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union, in cooperation with our Europanetzwerk Deutsch programme, hosted an impressive reading by author Bernhard Schlink from his latest work, ‘Das späte Leben’ (The Late Life). The event was moderated by Nicola Steiner, director of the Literaturhaus Zürich, and was a resounding success!   
 
Bernhard Schlink, bestselling author of ‘Der Vorleser’ (The Reader), was born in Bielefeld and later taught public law and legal philosophy as a professor at the University of Bonn, among other places. Yesterday, he presented his latest work, 
Das späte Leben (The Late Life), which tells the story of Martin, an emeritus professor who has only a few months to live after being diagnosed with cancer. The book focuses on questions of transience, love and dignity. 
 
The discussion was lively and offered profound insights into the themes of the book. The participants were enthusiastic about the exchange between Schlink and Steiner.
 
Bernhard Schlink: ‘I am rarely as comfortable with myself and rarely as happy as when I am writing.’
 
After the reading, guests had the opportunity to continue their discussions and exchange ideas at a reception.
 
The event was held with the kind support of the Swiss Embassy.  Bernhard Schlink, born in Bielefeld in 1944, is a lawyer, former constitutional judge and successful author. His first novel ‘Selbs Justiz’ was published in 1987 and his 1995 novel ‘Der Vorleser’ was translated into 50 languages, honoured with numerous national and international awards and successfully adapted into a film. Bernhard Schlink taught as a law professor at the University of Bonn for almost ten years and was a judge at the Constitutional Court for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Münster from 1987 to 2005.

Nicola Steiner, born in Berlin in 1973, is the director of the Literaturhaus Zürich and the Museumsgesellschaft Zürich. From 2007 to 2023, she worked for Swiss radio and television SRF, first as an editor for Sternstunde Philosophie und Kunst, then for the ‘Literaturclub’, and from 2014 also as its presenter. She was the moderator of the literary programme ‘52 beste Bücher’ on SRF 2 Kultur, sits on various literary juries and teaches at the Ringier School of Journalism in Zurich.

Participation for EU civil servants and ministerial officials from the permanent representations of the EU member states and interested parties.