Literaturfestival "Nah und Fern". Lesung mit Birgitta M. Schulte

In the organizer's words:

Literature festival "Near and Far" in the Metropolengarten

Thursday, July 16, 2026 7 pm

Birgitta M. Schulte - Ruhr Vegetables Polish

An important chapter of the Ruhr region is told: The early phase of labor migration, when the industrial boom brought workers to Dortmund, Essen and the other major cities in the region.

A family story in the Ruhr area that tells of arriving in a foreign land, of solidarity, the fight against exclusion, injustice and poverty - from the end of the 19th century to the 1930s. As Polish immigrants, Adam and Zuzanna experience Dortmund in the throes of enormous industrial development. Adam loses an eye in an accident at work and shortly afterwards his job. He joins a savings and building association, becomes involved in the trade union, the Social Democrats and the new workers' newspaper. To support the family, Zuzanna takes on boarders and works as a seamstress.

The family grows, fights for their identity and their new home - also in opposition to some friends from the old homeland, Polish nationalists, as well as in the struggle with the daily marginalization by the locals.

The author Birgitta M. Schulte was born in Bochum, but lives in Minden

Metropolengarten

Am Dahlbusch, 45884 Gelsenkirchen

Free admission

VA: Metropolengarten Auf Dahlbusch e.V.

https://metropolengarten.de/