Songs of Resistance – Latin America

Latin America is undergoing a difficult political transformation on the road to democratic structures. In Chile, thousands fell victim to the Pinochet regime, Argentina was still facing the shambles of its politics just a few years ago, and since Bolsonaro’s victory in the 2018 presidential elections, an extreme right has become firmly anchored in politics in Brazil. With texts and, above all, songs of resistance by Brazilian guitarist, composer and singer Zélia Fonseca and Chilean singer-songwriter Patricio Padilla with his ensemble Sol del Sur, among others, the event series Words of Resistance – The Monday Reading on June 24 focuses on Latin America. Readings will be given by Matthias Paul (TiK Theater im Karlstorbahnhof), Jutta Wagner (LiZ Literarisches Zentrum des DAI Heidelberg) and Veronika Haas (Literaturherbst Heidelberg).

To the series of events:

Together for a defensive culture

Against the backdrop of the CORRECTIV revelations about the meeting of radical right-wingers in Potsdam and in the wake of the demonstration “No step to the right in Heidelberg. Never again is now” demonstration with over 18,000 participants, Heidelberg’s cultural institutions have formed an active alliance. The common concern: A defensive democracy needs a defensive culture – also on the stages of our city. Initiated and organized by the Literaturherbst Heidelberg (Veronika Haas) and the Freie Theaterverein Heidelberg e. V. (Matthias Paul), the event started on 15. In a deliberate reference to the historical Monday demonstrations, a multi-week cross-genre series of events was launched on April 15, 2024: Words of Resistance – The Monday Reading, which alliance and cooperation partners such as the DAI Heidelberg, the Theater der Stadt Heidelberg, the Theater Carnivore, the Karlstorbahnhof, the Gloria-Filmkunsttheater, authors and musicians, but also pupils and students are actively involved in shaping.

The Monday readings have different focal points, focusing on words of resistance from world literature – including Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Tucholsky, Thomas and Klaus Mann, Heinrich Böll, Hannah Arendt, Mascha Kaléko and many more. – and from the political resistance, such as the White Rose leaflets or interrogation transcripts with Sophie and Hans Scholl. Many Monday readings are accompanied by music or are specifically dedicated to political songs, protest songs and composers who were banned or persecuted during the Nazi era.

The series of events takes place at various locations throughout the city, offers further events on other days of the week in addition to the Monday readings and ends with a grand finale on July 15, 2024.