Connie Palmen en Simon Strauß on Romanticism in Europe: Can it offer something?
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"The fear of compromises is really paralyzing. In a while I only have conversations that start with 'stress' and end with 'busy, busy, busy'."
– Quote from
Sieben Nächte.
Are you afraid you haven't truly lived? You're not alone. A European generation seems tired of the compromises in politics and life. No wonder young authors are writing stories filled with intense emotions, real experiences, nostalgia and heroic individuals. However, this Romanticism is often negatively viewed as feeding into National Socialism. Is it dangerous? Or can Romanticism offer Europe solutions in our turbulent day and age?
Writer and journalist
Simon Strauß from Germany – a country known for its pragmatism and long tradition of compromise – wrote his debut novel
Seven Nights about hitting 30 and the fear of never having truly lived. His character commits sevens sins in seven nights: he lives to the fullest. Some say his story might be feeding into right wing movements, maybe even National Socialism. Might it be offering something positive?
Connie Palmen wrote her debutnovel
De Wetten in 1991 about a similar topic. Some say these romantic stories might be feeding into right wing, anti-liberal movements.
What can these authors say about the possibilities of romanticism?
Simon Strauß (Germany 1988) is a German historian, journalist and author. He studied classical studies and history in Basel and from 2012 till 2016 pursued his PhD at the Humboldt-Universität in Berlin. In 2017 he released his debut novel
Sieben Nächte (2017) to much critical acclaim.
The German newspaper
Tagesspiegel hailed him as one the greatest talents of his generation.
He is also part of the Arbeit an Europa initiative.
Connie Palmen is one of the most infuential Dutch authors, and has been for a long time. Her debutnovel
De Wetten (1991) was incredibly succesfull, selling more than 400.000 copies, and translated into more than 24 languages.
Moderator:
Ianthe Mosselman
De Balie in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Niederlande.
The Goethe-Institut is organizing an international cultural symposium in Weimar from 19 to 21 June 2019 under the title Recalculating the Route. Find more information here:
www.goethe.de/weimar
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