Literaturhaus Frankfurt

Textland 2024: Humor as Resistance

Season ticket for both evenings: 20 €, reduced 15 €

Friday, December 6, 2024, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday, December 7, 2024, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Literaturhaus Frankfurt, Schöne Aussicht 2, 60311 Frankfurt am Main

Textland engages with the dynamic development of literature in our pluralistic living worlds. In a time of increasingly sharp divisions in societal and political camps, this year's literature festival follows the motto "Humor as Resistance." Authors of various genres will demonstrate over two days how the use of humor in prose, poetry, and performance art can foster positive conversation dynamics.

FRIDAY, December 6, 2024
5:00 PM (doors open at 4:30 PM)
Welcome: Leon Joskowitz (Textland), Julia Cloot (Cultural Fund Frankfurt RheinMain)

5:10 PM
Lena Gorelik and Jella Haase: The Comical Kafka
Franz Kafka, who passed away a hundred years ago, was also a great storyteller. It is reported that he had to interrupt readings of his novel "The Trial" repeatedly due to fits of laughter. "The jokes and laughter never ended," wrote his friend Max Brod. Kafka's humor always has a deeper quality that knows the abyss beneath it and is born from despair. For him, humor was an act of resistance against fear and the frightening, a means to stay sane in a constricted world. Kafka adhered to the maxim: "Do not spend your time seeking an obstacle; perhaps none is there."
Author Lena Gorelik sheds light on Kafka's humor with passages from his works that make us laugh despite not being inherently funny. She does not exclude his ambivalent relationship with Jewishness or the fact that we read Kafka under the impression of a still existing anti-Semitism. Lena Gorelik lays out Kafka's grotesque humor on the flying carpet on which actress Jella Haase will sit and fly along. Hardly any other voice but hers can make Kafka's laughter sparkle better. (With thanks to Insa Wilke)

7:00 PM
Dana von Suffrin: "Starting Over"
Moderation: Leon Joskowitz
In her novel "Starting Over," Dana von Suffrin tells the story of a German-Jewish family that seems to be full of repelling forces. Especially after the father's death, much begins to move for daughter Rosa that she would rather have kept beneath the surface. With dark humor, the author brings to light the aftereffects of a whole century full of violence and displacement, as well as the relationship between two sisters who drift apart and reconcile again because there is something only they understand about each other.

7:50 PM
Poetry Session: Livestream with Bite Wound – Martin Piekar meets Julia Mantel
Moderation: Alexandru Bulucz
It is often said that this or that poetry is full of linguistic wit, as if there were a consensus about the meaning of this attribution. So what is linguistic wit, what rhetorical techniques can produce it, and when is it literarily appropriate? Does it refer to esprit? Pleasure and funny things? Humor even? The word "humor" comes from Latin and means "moisture." It originally referred to the four elemental bodily fluids (hūmorēs) inherent in every living being, which result in the temperaments of choleric, phlegmatic, sanguine, and melancholic.
Martin Piekar and Julia Mantel have published new poetry collections this year and will wide open the doors of their poetic language experiences. Together with Alexandru Bulucz (moderation), they will discuss concepts of linguistic wit. Thus, "Livestream & Corpses" meets the "Autobiography of a Bite Wound" – a "rebellion against the everyday hermeneutic dictate of shallow self-evidence" (Christina Lenz) versus "short stories in poetic form, where often the ordinary tips into the surreal or into a wink or despair at the world" (Gerrit Wustmann).

8:30 PM
Noemi Somalvico: "The Heart Does Not Cast a Shadow in the Chest"
Moderation: Sonja Yakovleva
In her novel "The Heart Does Not Cast a Shadow in the Chest," Noemi Somalvico circles around the emotional chaos of romantic relationships, beginnings and endings of tenderness, seeing, kissing, biting, and spying. Noemi Somalvico writes "so refreshingly about love that one wants to laugh out loud," comments reviewer Lea Siedler on the work.

9:15 PM
Tragically Comedic Absurdities
Jakob Nolte in conversation with Miryam Schellbach
In his novels, Jakob Nolte shines with "cartoonish humor, tragicomic absurdities, and irony." His debut ALFF promptly received the Arts Prize Literature, and his theater plays, staged across Europe, have been awarded multiple times. In his latest novel "The Woman with Four Arms," he tells in "surreal, short, cinematic scenes" about tough women and sad, repressed young men, which reviewer Susanne Romanowski found completely captivating. With Miryam Schellbach, Jakob Nolte exchanges views on the significance of humor for the essence of his literary characters.

SATURDAY, December 7, 2024
5:00 PM (doors open at 4:30 PM)
Jovana Reisinger: "Pleasure"
Moderation: Miryam Schellbach
In her latest work "Pleasure," Jovana Reisinger undertakes a breathtaking tour de force through the luxury triad. It’s about kitsch, glamour, and trash, about bodies and identities, about rhinestones, class, and artificial nails. As author and filmmaker Katja Eichinger attests, Jovana Reisinger describes "with great amusement and intelligence the feminist feeling of a new generation that reserves the right to contradictions."

6:00 PM
Spoken Word Performances: Paul Bokowski | Fatima Moumouni | Aileen Schneider
Moderation: Aileen Schneider
Author and storyteller Paul Bokowski has been at the forefront of the German reading scene for many years. Columnist and moderator Fatima Moumouni is present on various stages with shows and moderates discussion series on racism, Islamophobia, and outdated colonial historical views of "old white" men. Opera director Aileen Schneider has created superhero characters that explore interpersonal processes and emotions with a wink of societal criticism.

7:30 PM
Tijan Sila: "Radio Sarajevo"
Moderation: Maryam Aras
This year’s Bachmann Prize winner Tijan Sila reviews his childhood in "Radio Sarajevo." As Sarajevo is engulfed in flames, the boy becomes a young man who learns to survive. The autobiographical novel tells how poets become murderers and murderers become heroes, and it is about people from whom all humanity has been taken. "This book has a quality that is rare in German-language literature: the tragicomic," highlighted Philipp Tingler in the Literary Quartet.

8:10 PM
Barbi Markovic: "Minihorror"
Moderation: Maryam Aras
In "Minihorror," Barbi Markovic takes us through the adventures of Mini and Miki in everyday Vienna. As strangers, they strive to belong and do everything right, yet are still pursued by monsters, catastrophes, and difficulties. This year's recipient of the Leipzig Book Fair Prize highlights in "Minihorror" the great and small nightmares of the middle class, the abysses that open up in everyday life and no longer want to close. "An innovative, cynical, and highly amusing book," finds reviewer Jolinde Hüchtker.

9:00 PM
Spoken Word Concert: Arno Camenisch reads
Accompanied by: Tsovinar Suflyan on piano
"His readings are cult." Hessischer Rundfunk
The Graubünden author and performer Arno Camenisch plays an exclusive show with spoken word texts – fresh, funny, and profound stories straight from life that touch your heart, and when he reads, he does so in his own unique style, in his incomparable, humorous "Camenisch sound." On stage, Camenisch will be accompanied by pianist Tsovinar Suflyan, and through the music, Camenisch's texts transform into songs, turning the performance into a concert – an unforgettable experience!

Textland 2024 is supported by the Cultural Fund Frankfurt RheinMain, the Crespo Foundation, and the Hessian Ministry of Science and Art.

http://www.textland-online.de

Textland 2024: Humor als Widerstand

Day ticket for Saturday, December 7: €12, reduced €8

Friday, December 6, 2024, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday, December 7, 2024, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Literaturhaus Frankfurt, Schöne Aussicht 2, 60311 Frankfurt am Main

Textland engages with the dynamic development of literature in our pluralistic living environments. In a time of escalating polarization of social and political factions, this year's literature festival follows the motto "Humor as Resistance". Authors from different genres demonstrate over two days how the use of humor in prose, poetry, and performance art can foster positive dynamics in conversation.

SATURDAY, December 7, 2024
5:00 PM (Doors open at 4:30 PM)
Jovana Reisinger: "Pleasure"
Moderation: Miryam Schellbach
In her latest work "Pleasure", Jovana Reisinger undertakes a breathtaking tour de force through the luxury triad. It’s about kitsch, glamour, and trash, about bodies and identities, about rhinestones, class, and artificial nails. As author and filmmaker Katja Eichinger attests, Jovana Reisinger "describes in a highly amusing and intelligent way the feminist feeling of a new generation that reserves the right to contradictions".

6:00 PM
Spoken word performances: Paul Bokowski | Fatima Moumouni | Aileen Schneider
Moderation: Aileen Schneider
Author and reader Paul Bokowski has been at the forefront of the German reading scene for many years. Columnist and moderator Fatima Moumouni is present with shows on various stages and moderates discussion series on racism, Islamophobia, and outdated colonial narratives of "old white" men. Opera director Aileen Schneider has created superheroine characters that explore interpersonal processes and emotions with a wink of social criticism.

7:30 PM
Tijan Sila: "Radio Sarajevo"
Moderation: Maryam Aras
This year's Bachmann Prize winner Tijan Sila revisits his childhood in "Radio Sarajevo". As Sarajevo is ablaze, a boy becomes a young man learning to survive. The autobiographical novel tells of how poets become murderers and murderers become heroes and tells of people who have had all humanity stripped away from them. "This book possesses a quality that is rare in German-language literature: the tragicomic," emphasized Philipp Tingler in the Literary Quartet.

8:10 PM
Barbi Markovic: "Minihorror"
Moderation: Maryam Aras
In "Minihorror", Barbi Markovic takes us through the adventures of Mini and Miki in everyday life in Vienna. As outsiders, they strive to belong and do everything right, yet are pursued by monsters, catastrophes, and difficulties. This year's recipient of the Leipzig Book Fair Prize illuminates in "Minihorror" the big and small nightmares of the middle class, the abysses that open up in everyday life and refuse to close. "An innovative, cynical, and highly amusing book," finds reviewer Jolinde Hüchtker.

9:00 PM
Spoken word concert: Arno Camenisch reads
At the piano: Tsovinar Suflyan
"His readings are cult." Hessian Broadcast
The Grisons author and performer Arno Camenisch plays an exclusive performance with spoken word texts – fresh, funny, and profound stories drawn directly from life that touch the heart, and when he reads, he does so in his very own style, in his incomparable, humorous "Camenisch sound". On stage, Camenisch is accompanied by pianist Tsovinar Suflyan, and through the music, Camenisch's texts become songs and the performance a concert – an unforgettable experience!

Textland 2024 is supported by the City of Frankfurt and the Cultural Fund Frankfurt RheinMain, the Crespo Foundation, and the Hesse Ministry of Science and Art.

http://www.textland-online.de

Tickets at:
https://katjaberlin.reservix.de/tickets-katja-berlin-die-torten-der-wahrheit-in-frankfurt-am-main-literaturhaus-frankfurt-am-19-11-2025/e2323068

The woman of the cakes - Katja Berlin live on tour in Germany
Katja Berlin, the master of satirical graphics, is going on a big tour in autumn 2025 with her
brand new show "Die Torten der Wahrheit".
The multiple bestseller author will present her unique favorite cakes from October 8 to December 2,
highlighting social and political themes in a humorous yet profound way.
The idea behind "Die Torten der Wahrheit" is as simple as it is genius: With a best-of
of current pie charts, Katja Berlin sheds light on pressing issues from politics, economics
and society in her satirical style. The audience finds itself caught between
thoughtfulness and chuckling, between laughter and tears. Because behind the colorful
diagrams lie the bitter truths of our time.
The show is a mix of sharp-tongued satire and seemingly endless creativity. Her
pie charts, presented on stage with depth and charm, are more than just visual gags - they are
reflections of our society.

The tour takes Katja Berlin to 12 cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt,
Stuttgart, and Zurich. Tickets for "Die Torten der Wahrheit" are now available at
katjaberlin.reservix.de – fans of political satire should not miss the chance to enjoy a wonderfully
funny evening amidst all the outrage.
Tour dates "Die Torten der Wahrheit":
08.10.2025, Berlin, Colosseum Berlin
14.10.2025, Essen, Zeche Carl
15.10.2025, Krefeld, Kulturfabrik Krefeld e. V.
16.10.2025, Hannover, Kulturzentrum Faust
29.10.2025, Dresden, Schauburg
11.11.2025, Hamburg, Imperial Theater
12.11.2025, Rostock, Literaturhaus
19.11.2025, Frankfurt, Literaturhaus
20.11.2025, Mainz, Frankfurter Hof
21.11.2025, Gießen, Stadthalle
27.11.2025, Zürich, Millers
02.12.2025, München, Lustspielhaus
October 8 - December 2, 2025
12 cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, and Zurich
More details and tickets at reservix.de
Do not miss when Katja Berlin conquers the stages of the country with sharp-witted humor and her unique
way of presenting political truths!

Here are the tickets.