Peter Handke and the Graz literary scene: voices from the heart of the city

Peter Handke and the Graz literary scene: voices from the heart of the city

The Nobel Prize winner Peter Handke received the "Great Golden Medal of Medicine of the State of Styria with the star" on November 15. In an interview with the Kleine Zeitung , he spoke about his connection to Graz and concluded a critical remark about the current literary scene. Handke accused today's generation of authors to lose themselves too much in self -expression.

These statements have triggered a discussion about the reason of his criticism. Three personalities who actively work in the Graz literary scene have commented on this.

Graz as a literary city

The first voice belongs to Annette Knoch, who heads the Droschl publishing house. Your publisher has published several works by Graz authors this year, including Helwig Brunner and Nava Ebrahimi. Knoch rejects Handke's accusation of egocentricity and emphasizes that the published works make an important contribution to literature. "It is simply wrong to reduce her books to a 'self-presentation'," she emphasizes. She still sees Graz as a lively literary city, while Handke wonders who he perceives and what information is accessible to him.

Klaus Kastberger, the head of the Graz literary house, supports Knoch and believes that Handke's criticism is not justified. He refers to the success of Graz authors, such as getting the Bachmann Prize by Ebrahimi and the Büchner Prize by Clemens J. Setz. Kastberger describes Graz as one of the lively literary cities in German -speaking countries and highlights the high number of visitors to the literary house. "With more than 10,000 visitors, we are expecting a record again this year," he explains.

a positive light on the criticism

Andreas Unterweger, editor of the literary magazine "Manuscripts", also comments on handke's comments. He is surprised at the negative perception that Handke expressed and also sees a spark of inspiration in criticism. "Objection can mean that sparks of the contrast in which poetry ignites," says Unterweger. He emphasizes that the Graz literary scene has produced many talented authors who are striving to not only give, but also to grow in their art.

The discussion about Handke's statements shows that the Graz literary scene is still dynamic and diverse. It remains to be seen how these conversations develop and what new perspectives they will produce.

A deeper discussion about the Graz literary scene and its developments can be found in other reports on www.kleinezeitung.at .