Steffen Kopetzky. Die Harzreise. Autorenlesung.

In the organizer's words:

11.06.2026, Thu, 19:30
Steffen Kopetzky. The Harz Journey. (Rowohlt Verlag)
Reading and discussion in the New German Literature series.

Two hundred years after Heinrich Heine's Harz Journey , Steffen Kopetzky follows his route through a fascinating German landscape of the soul: our country is reflected in the Harz - it is a poetic fairytale place and a focal point of the climate crisis, reveals historical wealth, structural change and poverty, and was divided between East and West. The strip that was once the border is now the "Green Belt", one of nature's most gratifying powerhouses. Kopetzky comes across places of remembrance in our country, from witches' dance sites on the myth-enshrouded Brocken to legendary listening stations. And discovers its enormous potential. He makes touching human experiences, but also sees the reality of an insecure society in which "Germanness" is sprouting new flowers. With the echo sounder of the historically aware author and the openness of the wanderer, Kopetzky not only explores his own unknown country, but also the attitude to life that the Harz has stood for since Heine's time, a place of longing for freedom and spiritual renewal. A surprising, vividly told travel adventure - and a special kind of exploration of Germany.

Steffen Kopetzky, born in 1971, lives with his family in his home town of Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm. He is the author of novels, radio plays and travel reports. His novel Monschau was on the Spiegel bestseller list for months, as was Risiko, which was nominated for the German Book Prize. His latest novel Atom (2025) was published, about which Die Zeit wrote: " Kopetzky is fun to read. ... A supposedly historical novel really couldn't be more topical.