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6:00 PM-7:30 PM

Anja Kampmann: Die Wut ist ein heller Stern

Author Talk | A conversation with the author about her novel 'Die Wut ist ein heller Stern'

Registration and Participation via Zoom

A portrait photograph of the author, Anja Kampmann. The photograph shows a close-up of the author against a dark background. Her face and light-coloured hair are highlighted by warm lighting. The author is looking directly into the camera. © Maximilian Gödecke

In Die Wut ist ein heller Stern, Anja Kampmann tells the story of Hedda, a young variety dancer on Hamburg’s Reeperbahn in the 1930s, whose dream of freedom and self-determination is increasingly threatened by social exclusion, political violence, and the growing power structures of National Socialism.

On 3 November 2026, the author will be a guest at Meet the Author, where she will speak with Barbara Heine Schumann about her novel Die Wut ist ein heller Stern. The event will take place online and in German. Everyone is warmly invited to join the discussion and take part by asking questions.
Buchcover: Anja Kampmann "Die Wut ist ein heller Stern"

Buchcover: Anja Kampmann "Die Wut ist ein heller Stern" | © Hanser

The novel is set in Hamburg in the early 1930s, a period when political and social certainties were beginning to unravel. At its centre is Hedda, who works as a dancer at the 'Alkazar' variety theatre on the Reeperbahn and dreams of a life of independence and self-determination. As she searches for her place in the glittering world of the theatre, society around her undergoes profound change: opportunities and freedoms for women, artists, and political dissenters steadily diminish, while fear and exclusion become increasingly widespread.

At the same time, the novel follows the lives of various other characters who, in different ways, attempt to navigate the upheavals of their time. In language that is both poetic and deeply compelling, Anja Kampmann explores hope and disappointment, solidarity and resistance, and the question of how people can preserve their dignity when society becomes increasingly shaped by authoritarian thinking.

  • Anja Kampmann was born in Hamburg in 1983. She studied at the University of Hamburg and at the German Literature Institute in Leipzig. She made her literary debut with the poetry collection Proben von Stein und Licht (Hanser, 2016).

    Her first novel, Wie hoch die Wasser steigen (2018), has been translated into numerous languages, was nominated for both the Leipzig Book Fair Prize and the German Book Prize, and was a finalist for the National Book Award in the United States. Her most recent poetry collection, Der Hund ist immer hungrig (2021), was awarded the Günter Kunert Literature Prize for Poetry.
    In 2024, she received the Marie Luise Kaschnitz Prize for her body of work. Her novel Die Wut ist ein heller Stern (2025) was nominated for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize and was awarded the Hans Fallada Prize as well as a scholarship associated with the Lessing Prize.

  • Barbara Heine Schumann is a literary scholar, cultural manager, and, since June 2026, Director of the Uwe Johnson Literary Centre in Klütz. In 2002, she founded the cultural and communications agency HEINEKOMM; prior to that, she worked for organisations including Gruner + Jahr and the Literaturhaus Hamburg. For more than twenty years, she has developed and delivered literary projects and events for a wide range of institutions, including NDR, the Nordkirche, and PEN Germany.

  • Do you love books and are you looking for your next great read? Meet the Author showcases exciting German-language books, from debut novels and bestsellers to narrative non-fiction. Hear directly from the authors about how their stories come to life and what inspires them. Participation is free and open to everyone. Simply register via the link and join us online!

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