First German Fantasy Club
First German Fantasy Club ( edfc ) is an association of people interested in the genre, the self-declared purpose of which is to provide understanding, general dissemination and recognition of fantasy literature and related artistic fields, as well as science, art and culture with regard to fantasy literature promote.
history
The edfc was officially founded on May 20, 1978, after association publications had been published on a private basis for twelve years. The grouping goes back to a loose association of literature enthusiasts who met for the first time in Vienna in 1966. The first chairman of the board is currently (as of 2019) R. Gustav Gaisbauer.
With around 400 members, the edfc is one of the largest literary associations in German-speaking countries. Since the members are scattered all over the German-speaking area, there are no regular club meetings other than the congresses. According to the association, the association's activities focus on the publications in which everyone interested is invited to collaborate.
activities
In addition to two magazines - the regular Fantasia , which has been published as an eBook since 2009, and Quarber Merkur , which Franz Rottensteiner published annually in the edfc from 1997 to 2009 - there is a secondary literary series with titles such as Der Traum in der Fantastischen Literatur or Walter Ernsting zum Memory , but also the strategy game Armageddon .
The edfc organized seven congresses of the imagination , at which well-known journalists and experts gave lectures. The association awards the German Fantasy Prize endowed by the city of Passau . The prize winners included Carl Amery , Michael Ende , Rainer Erler , Viktor Farkas , Wolfgang Jeschke , Otfried Preußler , Herbert Rosendorfer and Ernst Vlcek .
The edfc exclusively and directly pursues charitable purposes within the meaning of the section “tax-privileged purposes” of the tax code and is recognized by the Passau tax office as charitable because of the promotion of art and culture as well as scientific purposes. He is a member of the working group of literary societies - funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Cultural Foundation of the Länder - and of the German Society for the Protection of Young People.
Association publication
In the magazine for fantasy - Fantasia - in addition to stories, articles, poems and illustrations, especially book reviews are published, "with the help of which an attempt should be made to separate the wheat from the chaff" (quote). The reviews of fantastic films also play a major role.
Fantasia (print)
Fantasia is the edfc's magazine for fantastic literature, which has been published three times a year since 1978. It contains amateur short stories, poems, articles on fantasy and its fringes, as well as contributions to discussions, extensive book and film reviews, references to new publications on the German fantasy market and illustrations. In addition to the normal magazine issues, there are also frequently changing topic numbers.
The edfc regards the review of books as one of its most important tasks, to which it gives a large space in its publications. If in the early years of the association one could have read every fantasy novel with the limited range of products on offer at the time, the market today has become ever larger and more and more confusing; the few outstanding works were drowned in a flood of mediocre novels. According to its own statement, edfc wants to provide guidance with its writings.
Fantasia appeared in print up to 2008 , the no. 220/221 was the last print edition.
Fantasia (eBook)
Fantasia has been published exclusively as an eBook since 2009, and is published roughly every two weeks. It is sent in PDF format by email and is free of charge. With the right software, Fantasia can be read on PCs, tablets and smartphones. The edfc sends the eBook by email to its members, subscribers, employees and authors; However, Fantasia is not offered for public download on the Internet.
Congresses of the imagination
Between 1984 and 2008 the edfc in Passau organized seven multi-day congresses of the imagination every four years , at which well-known journalists and experts gave lectures. A large panel discussion rounded off the event. At the congress the edfc also awarded the German Fantasy Prize endowed by the city of Passau .
- 1st Congress of Imagination
- October 26th to 28th, 1984 with the topic "Fantasy - Escape from Reality?", Moderated by Dieter Steinseifer
- 2nd Congress of Imagination
- May 11th to 15th, 1988 with the topic "Fantasy - wrong way of fantasy?", Moderated by Dieter Steinseifer
- 3rd Congress of Imagination
- May 15 to 17, 1992 with the topic “Science Fiction and Fantasy - where are the readers?”, Moderated by Karlheinz Steinmüller
- 4th Congress of Imagination
- June 21 to 23, 1996 with the topic “Traditional lines of German fantasy”, moderated by Karlheinz Steinmüller
- 5th Congress of Imagination
- June 22nd to 25th, 2000 with the topic "Dawn of the World - Apocalyptic Visions in Fantastic Literature", moderated by Karlheinz Steinmüller
- 6th Congress of Imagination
- July 2 to 4, 2004 with the topic “Fantastic Film Worlds”, moderated by Karlheinz Steinmüller
- 7th Congress of Imagination
- May 21-25, 2008 with the theme “The last things. The other world in literature, art, media and religion ”, moderated by Karlheinz Steinmüller and Dieter Steinseifer
German Fantasy Prize
The edfc has awarded the German Fantasy Prize since 1979 , with which it recognizes the services of personalities to fantasy literature in German-speaking countries. From 1992 to 2008 the prize was endowed every fourth year - provided the award took place at the Congress of Imagination - by the City of Passau.
Web links
- Literature by and about the First German Fantasy Club in the catalog of the German National Library (fiction series)
- Literature by and about the First German Fantasy Club in the catalog of the German National Library (secondary literary series)
- edfc as editor in the Internet Speculative Fiction Database (English)