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“Close to Jedenew”
April 5, 2012 @ 12:00 am
Kevin Vennemann will be delivering an introduction to and a lecture from his widely acclaimed debut novel Close to Jedenew, published in German by the prestigious Suhrkamp Verlag 2005 and in English, by Melville House in 2008. A group of children from the rural village of Jedenew, which might or might not be located in early 1940s Poland, get together late at night to play together in the dark woods. But their game is to pretend they live in the imaginary world of the Jedenew that came before them, when it was not occupied by what might or might not be German troops, and when their Jewish friends were not mysteriously disappearing one by one.
Kevin Vennemann studied German and English Literature, Jewish Studies and History in Cologne, Innsbruck, Berlin and Vienna where he received his M.A. In 2011, he was a visiting fellow for German literature and philosophy at the University of Zurich; since 2009 he has been a PhD candidate at New York University.
Vennemann has been celebrated as of the most original and masterful young writers to appear in decades. The beautifully lush prose of his writing has been compared both to W.G. Sebald’s and to Franz Kafka’s and earned him numerous awards and prizes. His most recent publications include the novels Mara Kogoj (2007) and Sunset Boulevard. Vom Filmen, Bauen und Sterben in Los Angeles which is set to appear this April with Suhrkamp Verlag.
About the Dr. George Wittenstein Lecture Series: We are privileged that Dr. George J. Wittenstein, a participant in two resistance groups against Hitler’s National-Socialist regime, lives in our community. Jürgen (George) Wittenstein was actively involved in the Weisse Rose (White Rose) and the Freiheitsaktion Bayern (Freedom Action Bavaria). Named in honor of Dr. Wittenstein in order to preserve and continue his legacy of civic courage and commitment, our series brings scholars to our campus, whose research, teaching, civic courage and engagement mutually inform and inspire each other.
hm 2/14/12, 2/22; jwil 20.iii.2012