“Freedom” in world literature

The question of the (im)possibilities of being free as an individual or society has always been at the center of world literature. The answers – even those that remain open – are not only immensely multifaceted in world literature, but at the same time demonstrate how difficult, fragile, desirable, and overwhelming freedom in private and political life always is. The many-voiced life stories between freedom and limits are a special treasure of world literature. From Alice Walker’s famous novel The Color Purple (1982) to current works by Edna O’Brian, Elif Shafak, Gazmend Kapllani, Patrick Deville, or Eve Langley: it is award-winning translators from the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region who make many of these significant works of world literature accessible to German readers.

The translators Nina Bungarten, Juliane Gräbener-Müller, Kathrin Razum, Sabine Müller and Ilka Schlüchtermann provide insights into the works they and local colleagues have translated on the subject of “freedom”, as well as into the linguistic and personal freedoms made possible by the profession of literary translation. An exciting journey through world literature and stories about freedom.

Welcome: Helga Pfetsch (translator)
Moderation: Veronika Haas (Literaturherbst Heidelberg, journalist)

A cooperation of Literaturherbst Heidelberg, DAI Heidelberg and Weltlesebühne e.V.