Writing Europe II follows the very successful event of October 2006, Writing Europe I. The idea was brought up to go deeper into some of the subjects and themes which had been discussed. With regard to the theme of Amsterdam Capital Book City, Open Book, we would propose to look into the phenomenon of exile literature in the (recent) European past and the present. We would not only try to give an overview of some of the faces of exile in European literature in the 20th century, but also look into the present forms of exile literature, as well as into continuities between its past and present forms.

Calendar Writing Europe - II

30 September 2008
Amsterdam and the Germanophone exile
Since the early 17th century the Netherlands have been known as a place where freedom of thought is valued above all. This is why it has become a refuge for people not allowed or afraid to raise their voices in their home countries. Especially during the 1930s, Amsterdam was an important centre for German(ophone) exiled writers and artists of the time. Publishing houses Querido and Allert de Lange played an important role, and the city of Amsterdam occurs prominently in the biography of writers like Klaus Mann, Ödön von Horvath and artists like Max Beckmann. In the 1990s, the city re-occurs as a locus of exile, this time for some of the most prominent exiles from the former Yugoslavia.
With Robert Menasse, author of the novel “Banished from Hell“, dealing with the refugee Samuel Manasseh ben Israel, teacher of the Dutch philosopher Spinoza.
Moderator: Michaël Zeeman.

13 November 2008
Mediterranean exile
Little is known in the Western part of Europe about new writing coming from the South East of Europe. Still there is a new generation starting to write if not in their mothertongue in the language of the country they have chosen to live in.
With Ornela Vorpsi, Perikles Monioudis and Gazmet Kaplani.
Moderator: Abdelkader Benali or Frank Westerman

January/February 2009 (Depending on translation new novel Aleksander Hemon)
Tongue-tied, or tongue set free? (Lost in translation)
Perhaps the first and foremost dilemma for a writer in exile is language, for language is not just words, but ‘memory, myth, one’s whole being’ (Danilo Kiš). How do writers in exile deal with their new and old languages? What about their mother tongue? In what language do they live? How has the emergence of English as a global lingua franca affected the choices that writers in exile make?
With Aleksander Hemon and Kazys Saja (TBC)
Moderator: Guido Snel

December 2008 or January/February 2009
Towards a francophone ‘world literature’
Paris has been an important center for exiles writers of all over the world. The French language has always been a binding aspect for all of them Nowadays, francophone writers from all over the world feel they are part of French world- literature (see a recent manifest in Le Monde, signed by 44 writers). Why the manifest? Why is this discussion so important?
With Amin Maalouf, Ieme van der Poel, Mirello.
Moderator: Margot Dijkgraaf.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Admission to all events is free of charge, but you have to register beforehand by emailing spui25@uva.nl You will not receive a confirmation.
Adress: Spui 25 – 27, Amsterdam

In collaboration with European Cultural Foundation, Nederlands Literair Productie- en Vertalingenfonds.
http://www.eunic-netherlands.eu/

Photo of the venue by Sander Heezen.