ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A famed German literary magazine will publish a special volume dedicated to the literary works of Kurdish writers from all parts of Kurdistan and around the world.
Volume 293 of Die Horen, compiled by Kurdish poet Tengezar Marini and former Hannover mayor Herbert Schmalstieg, presents the works of 43 Kurdish writers. The compilation and translation of the writings has been in the works for nearly a year and the volume will be published later this month.
“No magazine or literary journal has been dedicated to Kurdish literature like this before. There was a great desire to do so, and thankfully, Tengezar and I are friends… I had the idea and Tengezar was excited,” Schmalstieg told Rudaw.
Marini, who translated into German the literary works presented in the issue, said their goal was for the volume to be a representation of the mosaic of Kurdistan and include works from the many different Kurdish dialects.
“We wanted to present Kurdistan’s diversity, not only in art and politics, but in other aspects as well… Our strategy was to do justice to Kurdistan's geography as much as possible,” said Marini.
The volume, titled Alive - through all prohibitions: Kurdish literature today, will be released on March 20, coinciding with the eve of the Kurdish New Year, Newroz. In addition to the writings, the volume will also showcase the artworks of Kurdish figurative painter Bahram Hajou.
“Kurdish literature survives and, despite all odds, it is still present today. This edition of Horen is intended to help ensure that it stays that way,” reads the description of the volume on the magazine’s website.
Founded in 1955, Die Horen is a German quarterly literary journal that promotes previously unpublished literary works. Its thematic volumes deal with all aspects of contemporary literature, including non-German writings.
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