Culture in Moenchengladbach
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A festival of literature
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Stefan Hertmans starts reading in the city library.
Photo: Woitschützke, Andreas (woi)
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Moenchengladbach The Flemish author Stefan Hertmans and the writer Kristina Bilkau are on the program. In addition, a cycle of novels that has risen to cult status.
Two more years – then the Literary Summer will have reached a quarter of a century, Brigitte Behrendt rejoices. The head of the city library interprets the considerable age of the literature festival as a sure sign of the success of the series. “There are now regular customers who travel through the cities, and there are always new developments. It’s going to be another hot summer in terms of literature, which promises a lot of conversations,” says Behrendt.
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She announces four readings put together by project manager Arno van Rijn. The German-Dutch-Belgian literature festival on the Rhine and Meuse also kicks off in Mönchengladbach on the third day. On July 8, at 7:30 p.m., the Flemish, award-winning author Stefan Hertmans will read from his current novel “Der Aufgang” in the Rheydt district library. Behrendt promises an exciting story about a pair of opposites in the time of National Socialism. Using the example of the relationship between an SS officer and his pacifist wife, the author tells of the tragedy of a country.
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On July 19, 7:30 p.m., Kristine Bilkau will present her novel Next Door at the same location. In this book, an abandoned house becomes a mysterious projection screen for unfulfilled longings and fears, says Behrendt. Kerstin Schweighöfer describes cultural and linguistic peculiarities of the Dutch neighbors as well as cultural and geographical beauties of the country in her book “Instructions for the Netherlands”. The author, who has been living in the Netherlands as a freelance foreign correspondent for over 30 years, will be reading on August 5 from 7.30 p.m. in the district library.
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Also included this year is the novel cycle “Das Büro” by the late Dutchman Johannes Jakobus Voskuil, which has risen to cult status. In the Netherlands, the series is a phenomenon, assures Behrendt. It sold more than 400,000 copies and was ranked seventh in an internet poll of the most important Dutch novels of all time. In the seventh and final volume of the series, the main character Maarten Koning is retired and struggling with withdrawal.
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Ronny Tomiska, member of the ensemble of the Krefeld-Mönchengladbach community theater, will read selected passages on Friday, August 12, from 4.30 p.m.
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From July 5th to September 9th, the trinational literature festival offers a total of 50 readings, talks and excursions with a total of 27 authors at known and unknown, traditional and unusual locations. With Genk, another Belgian city is involved. Events in Kleve and Leverkusen are also included for the first time. After the success of the first “literary walk” in Amsterdam, the format is now also being offered in Cologne and Düsseldorf. Behrendt emphasizes that comparable formats for Mönchengladbach can be imagined for future summers.
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Info Festival programs are available in the libraries and are available available online. Due to the limited number of participants, the organizers recommend online booking.
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