In April 2011, the ‘Überlandleitung’ reading series launched at the Lettrétage. It was funded by the Berlin Senate and the Government of Luxembourg. The taz served as media partner.

The series of talks and readings showcased writers who, both personally and in their texts, live and write across languages.

The aim was to demonstrate how writing can bring foreign languages and cultures closer together, and to explore whether and how literary texts point beyond the languages from which they are drawn. Do they forge new connections, thereby revealing different patterns of thought and perspectives, but perhaps also parallels? Are there fundamental differences, language barriers or a different mindset when composing texts in different languages?

Each author was paired with a knowledgeable discussion partner who, whether as a (literary) scholar, editor or translator, engages with the in-between nature of literature and the act of mediation.

With this series of talks, we hoped to create a forum for discussion that was at least as open-minded as it was entertaining and on equal terms, including with the audience, who were warmly invited to offer criticism and participate.