New narratives of peoples and nations are reasserting themselves today, challenging our societies: Whether it is the emergence of populist movements in the middle of Europe, the American president’s pronouncement of the »America First« slogan or the British longing for »The Empire« in the face of Brexit – everywhere, the power of (counter-) narratives is tangible. This panel discussion, as part of the Berlin Correspondence series, focusses on the question of the impact and transformation of these narratives since the end of the First World War in 1918: What stories do nations tell themselves in order to maintain their cohesion? Do we succumb to the temptation to forget as quickly as possible, to return to »normal«? Do we remember violence and war or do we just engage in »memorial theatre«? And how can theatre challenge national narratives? In a conversation between author and poet Max Czollek and festival artists, the Berlin Correspondence series contributes to the debate about the culture of remembrance and narratives of (post-)nationality.
Berliner Korrespondenzen ist eine Reihe des Gorki Forum und der Humbolt-Universität zu Berlin in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Auswärtigen Amt
