Lesung: „Swinging Bremen“ von Birgit Köhler

In the organizer's words:

The Nazis are in power and the war can also be felt in the city, but 16-year-old Johnny and his friends would rather dance to the swing beat than march in step - with jazz, smart clothes and long hair. The Bremen swing kids want to live their dreams of freedom despite HJ strips and raids, Gestapo and air war. But their love of American music and their dislike of the regime inevitably put them in danger.

A novel between hot rhythms and bombing nights, first love and betrayal. Based on eyewitness accounts, the author paints an accurate picture of Bremen during the Second World War and those rebellious young people who were hated by the Nazis for harmless swing dancing.

Birgit Köhler is a journalist, historian, poet and author from Bremen.