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30 Years of Post-Soviet Migration. A Life between Worlds

Reading and Discussion with Olga Grjasnowa (video recording available, in German)

Since her semi-autobiographical debut novel All Russians Love Birch Trees (German original title: Der Russe ist einer, der Birken liebt), Olga Grjasnowa’s works have explored various aspects of migration, displacement and identity between countries, languages and religions. After 30 years of post-Soviet immigration into Germany, a diverse array of lifestyles and identities with new meanings have emerged.

Olga Grjasnowa reads from her latest novel Der verlorene Sohn (The Prodigal Son) and talks to us about the illusions, fears and hopes of people living in transcultural, transnational and multilingual spaces between Germany, Russia and the Caucasus.

recording available

Map with all buildings that belong to the Jewish Museum Berlin. The W. M. Blumenthal Academy is marked in green

Where

W. M. Blumenthal Academy,
Klaus Mangold Auditorium
Fromet-und-Moses-Mendelssohn-Platz 1, 10969 Berlin
(Opposite the Museum)

Video recording from 12 October 2021, in German; Jewish Museum Berlin 2021

Participants

  • Olga Grjasnowa is a German writer with Russian-Jewish roots, who moved to Germany at the age of eleven. She has written four novels since 2012, all of which deal with questions of identity and homeland at different times.
  • Britta Schneider is Junior Professor for Language Use and Migration at the Faculty of Cultural Studies at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt/Oder.
  • Tsypylma Darieva is a Senior Researcher at ZOiS.

Context of the Event

The evening event is part of the international conference Jews Along the Silk Road (10-12 October 2021).

The Event is part of the series ZOiS Forum that brings together academic, artistic, and political perspectives on the issues driving Eastern Europe today

In cooperation with the Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS), Berlin, and Viadrina European University in Frankfurt Oder.

Woman with long brown hair and red lipstick leans her head against a wall and looks at the camera

Olga Grjasnowa; photo: Valeria Mitelman

Where, when, what?

  • When12 Oct 2021
  • Where W. M. Blumenthal Academy,
    Klaus Mangold Auditorium
    Fromet-und-Moses-Mendelssohn-Platz 1, 10969 Berlin
    (Opposite the Museum)
    See location on map

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