Articles Literature and Translation

Portrait of Rainer Maria Rilke

Rainer Maria Rilke
150 years of Rilke: A poet and his ambivalence

Rainer Maria Rilke, one of the most important poets of literary modernism, was born 150 years ago. In this interview, literature professor Sandra Richter explains what made him who he was as a person and why his work is still worth studying today.

A motorboat trip on Lake Kochel (1979)

Friedrich Ani’s moving childhood story
A Foreign Home

The Munich-based writer Friedrich Ani has written a book about his childhood and his origins – it also explores how silence led him to writing and to his literary voice.

A scene from the comic Saloon, where a horse paws the floor in a living room, throwing the family into disarray.

New Comic "Saloon" by Mia Oberländer
Dysfunctional Family, Western Style

A family gathering without conflict is conceivable, but unrealistic. Mia Oberländer knows this all too well. Her new comic Saloon is set in the Wild West, where there is no escaping conflict and resentment in the middle of an endless desert. Can reconciliation still be possible?

Lothar Matthäus takes the penalty for Germany in the quarter-final of the 1994 World Cup against Bulgaria; in goal: Borislaw Mihaylov; referee: José Torres Cadena

Literary Football Booklets
Relationship Status: Complicated

In stark contrast to the Football World Cup, which gets bigger every time, there are publications from two publishers that prove the saying: small but mighty!

Anna Seghers – a portrait photograph, around 1975.

125th birthday – Anna Seghers
A strong voice in exile literature

Anna Seghers: a distinctive figure; a biography marked by the dramas of the 20th century; novels that brought her international fame. The writer, who was committed to her work throughout her life, was born in Mainz 125 years ago.

Young people reading

New young adult novels
Challenges of youth

Several recent young adult novels feature protagonists facing difficult circumstances: dealing with a father suffering from dementia, the divorce of their parents, the familial consequences of East German espionage, or struggling with their gambling addiction.

Snow White at the MagicCon 2018 in Bonn

Five German fairy tales
And they lived happily ever after

Once upon a time – there was an ancient text form that can be found in all cultures. These fantastic stories were so important that they were even recognised as intangible cultural heritage in Germany in 2016. About five German fairy tales that still live on our bookshelves today.

Detail of the book cover (photo by Eugen Gomringer)

Literary Work of Mourning
Guinea Pigs of Death

The poet Nora Gomringer has written a remarkable prose volume: an obituary for her beloved mother, filled with many episodes from family life. This literary work of mourning is moving, yet also witty – without ever losing depth.

Stasi file: Information from IMV ‘Benno’ about the Hotel Hesse in Aachen (1 August 1978)

The Fate of a Sex Worker in the GDR
Prostitution on Behalf of the State

Prostitution was illegal in the GDR. Nevertheless, the Stasi exploited women as prostitutes. Clemens Böckmann has written a documentary and harrowing novel about a woman who sells her body her entire life.

Shitcoin sign in Toruń, Poland

From marijuana dealer to crypto millionaire
Be Embraced, Millions

In his new book, Juan S. Guse writes about men who got rich quick with cryptocurrencies. And about how this mysterious scene works.

Junk sold on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City

Why do everyday products drive us to despair?
Progress and mess

Author and entrepreneur Gabriel Yoran has written a humorous book about the frustrating but apparently necessary impositions of everyday life. He shows that technological progress often gives rise to annoying clutter.

Fatih Akin, Tristan Göbel and Anand Batbileg at the film premiere of “Tschick” in Berlin, September 2016

7 film adaptations of successful German-language novels
Definitely worth seeing

How enriching it is to not only read a story, but also to experience it on the big screen! Here is a small selection of films based on important and well-known German-language novels. Would you rather turn the pages or watch the film? It's simple: take time for both.

Book trends for young people

Literature from Germany
Books for young readers

Young adult literature has seen a remarkable surge in popularity in Germany, a trend that began during the pandemic. Young readers are sharing their reading experiences on social media, which is driving growth further. We take a look at the most popular genres in young adult fiction today.

Martina Hefter, winner of the German Book Prize 2024, before the award ceremony at the Römer in Frankfurt

German Book Prize 2024
Martina Hefter wins the German Book Prize

There was a festive atmosphere in the Kaisersaal of Frankfurt's Römer when the six finalists were presented. The tension grew until it was finally announced that Martina Hefter would receive the German Book Prize 2024.

Sandy path through dune grass with Sylt apple roses from Weststrand to Hörnum, Sylt

Interview with Teresa Ciuffoletti
The whole world is one village

Teresa Ciuffoletti has translated works by Judith Hermann, Dörte Hansen and Fatma Aydemir into Italian. In this interview, she explains why she doesn't use translation tools, what North Friesland and Tuscany have in common and which book she would like to translate one day.

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