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LITERATURE

Aarhus literature festival takes multilingual approach to programme

Internationals in Aarhus have a good chance of attending an event in their mother tongue at LiteratureXchange, a 10-day international literature festival taking place across the city.

Published: 12 June 2019 10:46 CEST
Aarhus literature festival takes multilingual approach to programme
Norwegian author Vigdis Hjorth in Aarhus during the 2018 LiteratureXchange festival. Photo: LiteratureXchange

Now in its second edition, Aarhus’ Danish and international literature festival LiteratureXchange is hoping to broaden its appeal to speakers of languages other than Danish, with 20 authors from across the globe appearing in multilingual events.

This year’s festival runs from June 13th-23rd at various cultural locations in the city, including cultural hub Godsbanen, the modern Dokk1 library, and several of the city’s churches.

The literature festival, arranged by Aarhus Municipality Libraries, Literature Centre Aarhus and adult education institute Folkeuniversitet Aarhus, was launched last year by organisers who wanted to bring an international literature event to Denmark’s second city.

Major international authors will appear at the 2019 event, including Peruvian-born Nobel Prize in Literature winner Mario Vargas Llosa as well as Siri Hustvedt, Jennifer Egan (both United States) and Nir Baram (Israel).


Nobel Prize in Literature winner Mario Vargas Llosa is headlining the Aarhus LiteratureXchange event. File photo: Stringer / Reuters / Ritzau Scanpix

“Last year, we found that there was huge interest in Aarhus in the international authors – even an unknown Ukrainian [Sergei Zhadan, ed.], whom up to 100 people came by to see. There were sold-out events which were only in German,” said Noa Kjærsgaard Hansen, Folkeuniversitet’s programme manager for the event.

“This year there will be almost 20 authors from all over the world, while we will also have an extended programme in Spanish and French,” Hansen added.

In addition to readings by authors, the festival will renew its Jorden Rundt (Around the Earth) concept, with a translator and an expert focusing on the literature of a specified geographic area before traditional food of the region is served in an open kitchen setting.

“It’s important for Aarhus’ cultural life to have events with a broad appeal. That’s why I’m pleased to see that LiteratureXchange has now established itself as a festival at which the Aarhus public is given the chance to take in a vast range of experiences, with authors from all over the world visiting the city,” Aarhus Municipality council advisor for culture Rabih Azad-Ahmad said via a press statement.

The full programme for the event can be found here.

READ ALSO: Fewer in Denmark reading books, despite publishing growth

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EVENTS

How Cologne is preparing for the start of Carnival on Friday

Dressing up, singing, and drinking: On Friday, countless Jecken (revelers) in Cologne will once again celebrate the start of the Carnival session.

Published: 9 November 2022 10:29 CET
How Cologne is preparing for the start of Carnival on Friday

Dubbed Germany’s “fifth season” by locals, the event starts every year on November 11th at 11:11 am, and typically stretches into February or March, when colourful parades spill into the streets.

Carnival stronghold Cologne in particular is preparing for the onslaught of tens of thousands of people who will flock to its Altstadt (old town), and especially to the student quarter, starting early Friday morning. 

READ ALSO: 10 unmissable events in Germany this November

“Far too many people want to celebrate in far too small a space,” city director Andrea Blome told DPA. “We can’t stop anyone from coming to Cologne now.” 

More security this year

In the popular Kwartier Latäng student quarter, there have been regular bouts of drinking by young partygoers in the past, who crowded into a confined space, leaving litter everywhere and publicly peeing on the corners of buildings. 

Google Maps shows the location of the so-called Kwartier Latäng part of Cologne.

But with a new security plan, the city and police hope to keep the situation under control.

Several checkpoints and road closures have been set up to secure the safety of the revelers and relieve the burden on worried residents, according to Blome. Visitors will only be able to enter the closed-off area around Zülpicher Straße via a single access point. 

On Friday, Cologne is also set to send a total of 150 employees from the Ordnungsamt (public order office) onto the streets, who will be supported by 520 private security guards. 

A glass ban will again apply in the celebration zones, and several hundred toilets will be set up at the hotspots, “which nevertheless will probably not be used by all visitors,” Blome predicted.

READ ALSO: 10 words you need to know at Cologne’s Carnival

Up to 1,100 police officers are expected to be on duty on the day – about 200 fewer than last year, said head of operations Rüdiger Fink. But he expected to keep the situation “under control with a new security plan.”

What to expect

On Cologne’s Heumarkt, there will be a stage program all day with bands such as the Bläck Fööss, the Paveiern and Brings. 

Google Maps shows Cologne’s Heumarkt along the Rhine River.

According to the Willi Ostermann Society, about 10,000 tickets were sold in advance for the event, which will be aired by German WDR for several hours.

Meanwhile, in Düsseldorf, the day will start at 11:11 a.m. with the “Hoppeditz Awakening” in front of City Hall. 

According to a spokesman, the police will be adequately prepared for the start of the season, with a particular focus on the Altstadt, where there will certainly be celebrations.

“But 11.11. is a very different event here in Düsseldorf than in Cologne,” he said, referring to a more orderly start and fewer guests.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about celebrating Carnival in Germany

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