Stanka Hrastelj and Mojca Kumerdej will be the first from the string of Slovenian writers to 'Say Hello' to Berlin as they are scheduled to be guests at the Helmuth Pohren-Hartmann Salon on 3 December 2016, at 19:00 (7:00 PM). The German readership has already become acquainted with writer and poet Stanka Hrastelj, as her poetry collection Gospod, nekaj imamo za vas (Sir, We Have Something for You) was translated into German by Daniela Kocmut and published under the title Anatomie im Zimmer in 2013. The short story writer, novelist, philosopher and culture journalist Mojca Kumerdej is scheduled to unveil her latest work, the novel Kronosova žetev (The Harvest of Kronos), published in June of this year. The event will be moderated by the Berlin-based Slovenian breakthrough writer Nataša Kramberger. The literary evening will be organized by PERISKOP - a Berlin-based society focused on broadening Germany's horizons on Slovenia's accomplishments in the field of art and culture, the Slovene Writers' Association and the Slovenian Book Agency (JAK).

On 6 December 2016, at 19:00 (7:00 PM), Boštjan Videmšek is scheduled to attend an event at the offices of the German KLAK Verlag publishing house, where he will be discussing his newest book Na begu: Moderni eksodus (2005-2016): z begunci in migranti na poti proti obljubljenim deželam (On the Run: Modern Exodus). The collection of field reports, essays and interviews was also translated into German by Andrea Leskovec and published under the title AUF DER FLUCHT: Moderner Exodus ins Gelobte Land earlier this year. The literary evening will begin with a keynote speech delivered by the Slovenian Ambassador to Germany, Her Excellency Mrs Marta Kos Marko. The introductory address will be followed by an interview with the author conducted by Barbara Anderlič. The event will be organized by the KLAK Verlag publishing house, the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Berlin and the Slovenian Book Agency (JAK).

Boštjan Videmšek's book represents the final part of a topical trilogy (preceded by Upor: Arabska pomlad in evropska jesen (Revolt: Arab Spring & European Fall, 2013) and Vojna terorja: deset let po 11 septembru, (The War of Terror: 10 Years After 9/11, 2011) of one of the most acclaimed Slovenian war correspondents, political analysts and long-time contributors to the newspaper Delo. In his latest volume, the author portrays the intimate fates of hundreds of refugees who have been forced to leave their homes due to war, poverty and cruel mistreatment. The main part of the book is dedicated to Syrian refugees, victims of the most bloody conflict of our time whom the author accompanied on their flight via the Mediterranean and the Balkan route. The book is not only a general account about refugees, but moreover a highly effective depiction of our reactions towards them and a detailed description of the eruption of racism and populism throughout modern-day Europe. Photographs by photo reporter Jure Eržen, Videmšek long-time collaborator and travelling companion accompany the featured, shocking stories.

The Periskop society will be hosting a special literary event with another burgeoning Slovenian writer, Davorin Lenko. The representative of the young Slovenian generation of authors will be a guest at the so-called literary brunch consisting of tasteful words and tasty food at the Lettrétage literary house in the legendary Berlin artist quarter of Kreuzberg on 11 December 2016. Davorin Lenko's debut novel Telesa v temi (Bodies in the Dark, 2013) was translated into German by Ann Catrin Bolton and published by the Slovene Writers' Association under the title Körper im Dunkeln in 2015. 

Poet Anja Golob is also 'packing her suitcase' to leave for Berlin, where she will be working on her first novel as writer in residence under the auspices of the renowned German organisation Literarisches Coloquium Berlin (LCB). The prolific poetess has recently received the Jenko Award for the Best Slovenian Poetry Collection for her volume Didaskalije k dihanju (Stage Directions to Breathing, 2016), from which she will read at the literary gathering of LCB residents on 12 December 2016, at 20:00 (8:00 PM). In 2015, 13 poems from her second poetry collection Vesa v zgibi (Bent Hang, 2013) have been translated into German by Urška P. Černe and Uljana Wolf and published by the Hochroth Verlag under the collective title ab und zu neigungen.

As mentioned before, the first ever Slovenian-German translation workshop is scheduled to take place within the frame of the Vice-Versa Programme, undertaken by the renowned German organisation Literarisches Coloquium Berlin (LCB) during the month of December. The five-day workshop is scheduled to unfold between 4 December and 9 December 2016. The event is intended for professional translators of literature and humanist works who have previously published at least one book-length translation. Mentors Erwin Köstler and Amalija Maček will head the workshop. Initiator of the workshop is the Slovenian Book Agency (JAK).

Event links:
http://www.periskop-berlin.org/2016/11/09/3-dezember-1900-stanka-hrastelj-und-mojca-kumerdej/
http://www.klakverlag.de/
http://www.periskop-berlin.org/2016/11/08/11-dezember-1200-davorin-lenko-und-literarischer-brunch/
http://www.lcb.de/home/
http://www.lcb.de/uebersetzer/werkstatt-zweisprachig/deutsch-slownische-werkstatt2016.htm