International Literature Days in Zürich

Life is characterized by transience: we leave places, things and people behind us – they disappear from view, are erased from memories and can’t be found in any stories. Apparent certainties and long-established orders melt into air. That is the point of departure of this year’s International Literature Days, organized by Literaturhaus Zürich from 23 to 26 February.

The programme includes a painfully urgent Debates on Europe discussion on Ukrainian culture and, in particular, Ukrainian literature in the face of Russian aggression.

Sunday | 25 February 2024 | 11AM
Is Literature Lost in War?
A conversation between Tanja Maljartschuk and Jurko Prochasko
Moderator: Sylvia Sasse

“Today,” Ukrainian writer Tanja Maljartschuk said in her much-acclaimed opening speech at last year’s Festival of German-Language Literature in Klagenfurt, “I consider myself a broken author, a former author, an author who has lost her trust in literature and – even worse – in language.” Together with Jurko Prochasko, translator, author and psychoanalyst based in Lviv, she will talk about how literature gets lost in war, about the symbolic silencing as well as the very concrete demise of artists and mistrust in language itself.

In cooperation with Literaturhaus Zürich and the Slavic Department of the University of Zürich. The full festival programme can be viewed here.

The event can be followed live and will be recorded.