In the organisers’ conception, the Days of Literature on the Neisse are intended to serve as a forum for international cultural exchange. The aim of this interesting project is to present new literary trends in Germany, Poland and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and to encourage readers to discover a shared past. Festival conversations and discussions will provide an opportunity to gauge how far understanding between neighbours in the heart of Europe has developed. They will also show how great an obstacle to reaching an understanding are contradictions, different experiences and their divergent interpretations.
The contemporary literature presented during the festival is intended to help the audience understand the complexities of Central Europe’s complicated history and, by presenting previously unknown ways of interpreting it, enable attendees to form their own opinions on the topics addressed. Holding the project in such an important area of the literary map as a border region makes it possible to examine the often difficult relations between the peoples of Central and Eastern Europe, which are still marked by the memory of war. The Free State of Saxony and Lower Silesia, as neighbouring regions of Germany and Poland, play a particularly important role in this context. On the other hand, the festival has a chance to help eliminate the barriers separating the region and deepen cultural cooperation between Zgorzelec and Görlitz.
The authors who accepted invitations to participate in the festival are: Soren Bollmann, Marek Cichucki, Jacek Cygan, Daniela Droscher, Andrzej Ficowski, Tobias Glufke, Christoph Hein, Elisabeth Herrmann, Jacek Inglot, Anna Kaleri, Kolja Mensing, Jaroslav Rudiš, Roswitha Schieb, Paulina Schulz and Olga Tokarczuk.
The festival organisers would also like to raise the two host cities’ residents’ awareness of the region’s literary output. The programme therefore also includes events open to everyone, such as a literary competition and a Poetry Slam, giving less “seasoned” audiences a chance to become part of the festival as well.
The Days of Literature on the Neisse are a project planned for the next several years and a preview of the European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016 in the European City of Zgorzelec/Görlitz.
The German Forum for the Culture of Central and Eastern Europe, Kulturservicegesellschaft mbHz Görlitz, the Municipal Public Library and the Municipal Cultural Centre of Zgorzelec wish you unforgettable experiences during the 2014 Days of Literature on the Neisse.
The event is held under the patronage of the mayor of Zgorzelec.
Zgorzelec City Hall/ii