“Of all things broken and lost”: Durs Grünbein’s Perspectives on Dresden and the problems of modern Elegy

Speaker
Professor Karen Leeder
Event date
Event time
17:00 - 18:00
Venue
Taylor Institution
St Giles'
Oxford
OX1 3NA
Venue details

Main Hall

Event type
Lectures and seminars
Event cost
Free
Disabled access?
Yes
Booking required
Required

The Allied aerial bombing of Dresden in February 1945 is one of the most controversial acts of the Second Word War. Even today, the memories are among the most acute in Germany; with the annual reconciliation ceremonies on 13th February accompanied by right-wing demonstrations that arguably deny ordinary people the right to mourn. Among artists and historians, too, this is a raw spot that has inspired repeated reflection and controversy. Taking its cue from a recent contribution to these debates, by prominent German writer Durs Grünbein, this lecture explores that legacy, but also asks how art might help find a language for trauma; how we might think about modern elegy; and how translation, in its broadest sense, might ultimately aid the path to reconciliation.