Asimov cellar bar

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The Asimov-Kellerbar is a fictional Bad Kreuznach science fiction bar owned by the author and satirist Klaus Marion , which has existed since 1988 . In addition to its existence as a scene of science fiction satires, it can now be found as a website, a book, a regular column and a group on the social network Facebook .

Origin of name

The Asimov basement bar takes its name from the well-known science fiction and non -fiction author Isaac Asimov , who died in 1992 .

role models

The description and fictional location of the Asimov cellar bar is based on the former Cueva pub in Bad Kreuznach . The idea of ​​a literary science fiction pub is a basic idea often used in Anglo-Saxon science fiction literature that has also inspired various well-known SF authors to create collections of stories from fictional SF pubs and bars, e.g. B. Lyon Sprague de Camp or Arthur C. Clarke . The Asimov cellar bar is the only known fictional SF bar in Germany.

Asimov cellar bar as satire

Place of publication

The Asimov cellar bar is the setting for science fiction satires by the satirist Klaus Marion, who was born in 1962 . The satires are published in various science fiction magazines under the title Tales from the Asimov-Keller-Bar . In 1988 the first story about the Asimov basement bar appeared in a science fiction fan magazine by the author. Since 1991 the satires have also appeared in the satirical section “Distorting Mirror” in the Andromeda Nachrichten , the quarterly publication of the Science Fiction Club Deutschland eV. In the meantime, over 60 satires have appeared, some of which are also available as paperbacks.

content

The satires target current issues in the science fiction and science fiction scene and comment on them in the form of fictional reports by the author about the events in the Asimov basement bar. In addition to the fictional characters that appear again and again, real German SF authors and representatives of the German science fiction fan scene are described as fictional guests in the Asimov cellar bar. Recurring authors in the stories are e.g. B. Horst Hoffmann , Achim Mehnert , Michael Nagula or Arndt Ellmer . The fictional innkeeper Rudolf 'Rudi' Gerstner is the character with whom many topics from the field of current science fiction are satirically led ad absurdum in dialogue. Part of every satire is the casual mention of a special SF drink, the recipes of which are then published as an insert in the satire.

characters

Regularly recurring characters appear in the actions, whose always similar behavior serves as a running gag in the stories.

Rudolf 'Rudi' Gerstner

He runs the bar and is described as a counter philosopher who has a rather cynical opinion on all topics of science fiction literature, publishing and human behavior. He serves as a counterpart in the fictional conversations with the author.

Frank Aussenstein

Frank Aussenstein (whose name is spelled a little differently in each episode) is an eternal young author who never makes a breakthrough as a professional author. He basically sits in the back corner of the basement bar and writes on an old Olympia typewriter. The guests make fun of pouring beer into the typewriter in unobserved moments.

Christian 'Krischan' Holl

The figure of Krischan is based on the graphic designer and science fiction artist Christian 'Krischan' Seipp . In the stories he spends every evening painting the back wall of the cellar bar with a life-size kite because of a losing bet. Since he was promised free drinks in return while he was working, the work never came to an end.

Klaus N. Frick

Klaus N. Frick is a real figure, author and editor-in-chief of the Perry Rhodan magazine series, which he claims is the largest SF series in the world. His fictional appearance in the Asimov basement bar serves as a point of reference for criticizing the professional publishing scene. The reaction of the science fiction fans in the pub is divided towards the representatives of the professional publishing houses.

Books

In 2012 a first anthology with the title Tales from the Asimov-Kellerbar was published as a paperback. The afterword to the book was written by the editor-in-chief of the Perry Rhodan series, Klaus N. Frick . In 2014 the second volume “No space helmet at the bar - news from the Asimov basement bar” was published with an afterword by the former Perry Rhodan author Horst Hoffmann . The book also includes a contribution by the American SF author John Varley in the form of a fictional lecture in the Asimov basement bar.

As a website

A fictional website of the Asimov cellar bar has existed since 2011, on which campaigns and events are pointed out alongside the satires.

Asimov cellar bar on the go

The fictional Asimov-Keller-Bar was held several times as an evening program item at events and meetings of science fiction friends (so-called Cons ). Drinks from the stories of the Asimov cellar bar can actually be drunk there.

Asimov cellar bar in social networks

Since 2010 there has been an Asimov-Keller-Bar group on Facebook , in which the members regularly exchange and discuss topics from science fiction literature and its implementation. A large number of German SF authors are also represented here.

Asimov cellar bar in music

Since 2013 there has been a song by the group Die Feuerschnecken about the Asimov cellar bar. It was written, performed and produced by science fiction fans Johannes Unnewehr and Joachim Stahl . It can be found on Youtube and reports in a satirical way about the Asimov cellar bar.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Historical photo of the Cueva in an article in the public gazette - online article The Bad Kreuznacher pubs - scenes from bygone days
  2. ↑ stories from Gavagans Bar , (Tales from Gavagan's Bar, 1978) (with Fletcher Pratt ), 1982, ISBN 3-453-30810-7
  3. ↑ Stories from the White Stag by Arthur C. Clarke . ISBN 3-453-30998-7
  4. ^ BEAM 8 The First Visit (1988) - self-published
  5. ↑ Stories from the Asimov cellar bar and "No space helmet at the bar - news from the Asimov cellar bar" - see literature
  6. ↑ Typical drink names are Photon Torpedo or Galactic Slime Worm . The recipes are real or slight modifications of well-known drinks.
  7. ↑ Facebook group Asimov-Keller-Bar Current members in the SF authors are z. B. Horst Hoffmann , Klaus N. Frick , Achim Mehnert , Simone Edelberg , Michael Nagula , Uschi Zietsch , Benjamin König , Jörg Kaegelmann (accessed: March 20, 2019)
  8. ↑ Asimov-Kellerbar-Song on Youtube (accessed: March 20, 2019)