Josef Winkler: Controversial price - Carinthia split into two camps!

Josef Winkler: Controversial price - Carinthia split into two camps!

Klagenfurt, Österreich - Josef Winkler, the controversial writer and cultural award winner of the State of Carinthia, accepted the cultural award on December 13, 2024, very much to the surprise of many - and in a federal state, where he often criticizes the social conditions. Winkler, born in camera and grew up on a farm, tells not only about his childhood and youth, but also of the dark shadows that throw his experiences in a patriarchal and Catholic environment. These critical perspectives on society are more than just literary exercises; They also question the common view of Carinthia. According to a report by klick-kaernten.at , many critics comment on the fact that Winkler "exposes" and his culture.

literature as a fight against speechlessness

Winkler's literary work is deeply rooted in his personal experiences, from the "speechless world" of his childhood to his experiences in different social classes. During his school days he recognized the class difference, and as a small child he stole money to buy books - an escape to the world of stories that comforted him and helped him overcome his own speechlessness. As the Wikipedia , Winkler has won significant prizes in the course of his career, including the Great Austrian State Prize for Literature and the Georg-Büchner Prize, which is one of the most important writers in the Austrian literary business reaffirm. However, critical voices in the background do not seem to stop by accusing him that he would disparage Carinthia instead of showing his home in a positive light.

In his acceptance speech on the cultural prize, Winkler emphasized that he did not write generally about Carinthia, but rather about his individual perception and experiences in this region. The literary critic Klaus Kastberger praised Winkler's ability to transform Carinthia into a literary continent and found that his view of things was often painful but necessary. Winkler's unique perspective, which is deeply rooted in dealing with topics such as home, death and sexuality, not only attracts attention, but also heated debates about the role of art and culture in society. While some applauded, the question remains whether Carinthia is willing to accept Winkler's intellectual challenge or to reject it as uncomfortable.