Reading, discussion, and flute music, in cooperation with the German Colloquium of Osnabrück University, featuring
Facilitator
Professor. Dr. Christoph König, Osnabrück University
Liao Yiwu, born in Sichuan Province in 1958, is an exiled writer living in Berlin. He fled China via Vietnam in 2012, and was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for his novel entitled Die Wiedergeburt der Ameisen in the same year. The reading revolves around this novel, which has only been published in German – the Chinese manuscript was smuggled out of prison bit by bit. In the book, the writer’s own family history is interwoven with the history of China. While atrocities are never overlooked, the atmosphere of the book is defined by courage, composure, and clarity. The freedom of literature prevails.
Liao Yiwu presented short passages from the original manuscript, then sinologist and translator Karin Betz (Frankfurt am Main) read from the novel. In the following panel discussion, Herbert Wiesner (Berlin), former Secretary General of the German PEN Centre, analyzed censorship and the persecution of writers in China. Christoph König (Osnabrück University) moderated the evening which, with Liao Yiwu’s flute recital, became a small work of art in itself.
June 27, 2018, University Auditorium, Neuer Graben 29 / Schloss
Picture gallery
© Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski © Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski Das Podium, © Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski Karin Betz, © Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski Liao Yiwu und Karin Betz, © Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski Prof. Dr. Christoph König, © Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski Liao Yiwu, © Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski Liao Yiwu spielt Flöte, © Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski Prof. Dr. Martina Blasberg-Kuhnke und Liao Yiwu, © Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski v. l.: Herbert Wiesner, Burhard Jasper, Karin Betz, Prof. Dr. Martina Blasberg-Kuhnke, Liao Yiwu, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Lücke, Prof. Dr. Christoph König, © Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski
© Osnabrücker Friedensgespräche | Uwe Lewandowski