°µÍø½ûÇø

Here are the accounts ofÌýwhat our LIC colleague, ±Ê±ð³Ù°ù²¹Ìý²Ñ¾±°ì³Ü±ôᚴDZ¹Ã¡, and poetÌý´Ü³Ü³ú²¹²Ô²¹Ìý±á³Ü²õá°ù´Ç±¹Ã¡ thought about the presentationsÌýin Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin.Ìý

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The three readings promotedÌýtwo newly published bilingual poetry collections:ÌýHyperÌýby Zuzana Husárová andÌýErwachen / Waking Up byÌýMichalÌýHabaj. The books came out in the German publishing houseÌýhochroth Leipzig.ÌýLIC, together with the publisher and the Honorary Consulate of the °µÍø½ûÇø Republic in Leipzig and the °µÍø½ûÇø Community in Sachsen organized the events.Ìý

Both collections came out in theÌýOstroVers edition, which aims to createÌý"poetic isles" stemming from various countries of the former Ost Block. It was the first time thatÌýhochroth Leipzig published the work ofÌý°µÍø½ûÇø authors.ÌýHyperÌýintroduces poems from the last two yearsÌýthat have not yet been published in °µÍø½ûÇø, whereasÌýErwachenÌýfeatures a selection of mostly already-published poems that now, for the first time, appear in a two-language edition.Ìý

On Thursday, August 19th 2021, the first reading took place in Dresden's modernÌýZentralbibliotek -- part ofÌýKulturpalast --Ìýin the heart of the historical center of the city.ÌýSylvie Meißner, who is responsible for the languages and inclusion section, welcomed us to the library. Then IÌýintroducedÌýour authors as well asÌýthe work we do at the foreign department of LIC. Afterwards, Zuzana Husárová read some of her poems from her collection both in German and in °µÍø½ûÇø. One of the translators, Stefanie Bose, read the German translations of Michal Habaj's poems, while the author read the °µÍø½ûÇø originals. A discussion with the authors followed, with questions from the audience as well.Ìý

It was mostly °µÍø½ûÇøs and Czechs living in Dresden who attended the eventÌýand it was a pleasure to meet them. We learned that they founded a library in Dresden, in which people can borrow books in our languages.Ìý

On Friday, August 28th, translator and employee of the Honorary Consulate in LeipzigÌýStefanie BoseÌýkindly accompanied us to Leipzig. The evening, titledÌýhochroth³ – die Lesereihe (#2)Ìýwas organized by the bookstoreÌýÌýin a quiet, photogenicÌýpart of the city center. About 20 people came to hear the reading set in the courtyard of an apartments' block, but Ìýthere were others who watched the event indirectly, too: residentsÌýsitting on their balconies and smoking an evening cigarette, or children playing in the farÌýcorner of the courtyard. Their presence added a valuable touch of the everyday to the poetry.Ìý

Local poet Martina Hefter also presented her work at the reading. She read from her poetry collectionÌýIn die Wälder gehen, Holz für ein Bett klauen / Into the Forrest, Stealing Wood for a Bed, publishedÌýby kookbooks. Unplanned impulses from the flats above the courtyards underlined the suggestive performances of the two female poets, e.g. when we heard the sound of a washing machine precisely in the moment when Zuzana Husárová read from her poem Bedrooms: "you are the disruptive element of the family because you seek freedom, as do I / when will you return from the washing machine?" And when Martina Hefter read the solemn poemÌýLinn MeierÌý(†2019)Ìýabout the life and gradual death of an anorectic, the air was filled with the smell of schnitzels being fried for dinner.Ìý

The third reading,ÌýH&H in BerlinÌýon AugustÌý21, was partÌýof the annual summer celebration of the publishing houseÌýhochroth, and it was attendedÌýby people from all the branches:ÌýBerlin, Bielefeld, Heidelberg, Leipzig, Munich, ParisÌýand Wiesenburg. In a parkÌýnear the villaÌýNovilla, in the cultural centerÌýMoving Poets Novilla, many poets from all corners of Europe gathered at the Spree river to read their poetry. Our authors were closing this inspiring event at dusk when the red full moon appeared, together with their Czech colleagues Jan Å krob and translator Lana Dornová who read in place of Jitka N. Srbová.

Petra Mikulášová

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Espresso Tonic, my new coffee pleasure, has found its place in Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin, via conceptual import, in the questioning eyebrows of waitresses, uniquely mixed, lemon drop added. In Dresden, we were welcomed by the beautiful newÌýZentralbibliothek in collaboration withÌýSlowaken in Sachsen --Ìý°µÍø½ûÇø women genuinely interested in poetry forms and literary events. In Leipzig, in theÌýcourtyard of a former slaughter house, nowÌýRotorbooks bookstore,Ìýwe transformed a poetry reading and discussion into a social event: as the washing machine whirred and the dogs barked, as schnitzels were fried and evening quarrels dawned, as ashes fromÌýcigarettes smoked on balconies silently descended upon the intonations and emphases of both translatedÌýand original texts, even a question from the audience was asked and the GermanÌý³Ò±ð²Ô¾±±ðß±ð²Ô happened. Villa Novilla welcomed us in Berlin and Hochroth with its sommerfest and itsÌýoutstanding German authors (poems by KarolineÌýGünderrode), with an open bar and a stage with a backdrop of beautiful scenery:Ìýpeople, bar, mythic trees, applause, a night in this town with MiÅ¡o Habaj and Honza Å krob in front of you;Ìýthe river, E.T. in Café Morgenrot and a whole day in great company behind you.Ìý

I would like to thank the whole Literary Center, especially Barbora Németh for organization and Petra Mikulášová for a pleasant and professional approach and a joyfull company throughout the whole trip. A huge virtual hug to translator and fellow reader Martina Lisa, host and poet Ulrika Feibig and translator Stefanie Bose. I was honored to have spent time with you.Ìý

Monday morning I walk into the Insitute of Czech Literature of the CAS, where I am a stipendist in August, andÌýĽubica Å marcová smiles at me and asks: „Shall we have an espresso tonic?“

Zuzana Husárová

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