The cog

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Die Kogge is a literary association of European writers and translators based in the East Westphalian city ​​of Minden in North Rhine-Westphalia .

history

founding

It was founded in Bremen in 1924 as an association of authors, primarily anti-modern, conservative and sometimes ethnic-national-minded authors of the Low German movement . It was carried out by Hans Franck , Manfred Hausmann , Hans Leip , Hans Friedrich Blunck , Alma Rogge , Karl Wagenfeld and Wilhelm Scharrelmann with the aim of creating a basis for Low German literature. Until its dissolution in 1934, “The Cog” met regularly in Bremen in the Bremen council chambers.

The cog in National Socialism

In 1934 the association was dissolved. The dissolution was not a blow specifically against Die Kogge or even a ban, as members of the Kogge liked to portray it after the war, but affected all groups of authors as part of the so-called policy of harmonization: Existing writers' organizations were dissolved and incorporated into the Reich Chamber of Literature, founded in October 1933 summarized.

The role of the founding father Wilhelm Scharrelmann , who initially worked as a reform pedagogue in Bremen and later lived as a writer in Worpswede, is ambivalent. He was not the anti-militarist and Nazi opponent he wanted to be after the war. Since August 1933 Scharrelmann was organized in the "Reich Association of German Writers eV" and declared that he was "unreservedly ready to stand up for German literature in the interests of the national government at any time". Since May 1934 he was also a "supporting member" of the SS.

The cog since it was founded in 1953

1953 Die Kogge was re-established by Ludwig Bäte and Josef Winckler in Minden and expanded from Low German to German-language requirements (see also Wilhelm Scharrelmann ). Despite the old Nazi sympathizers - u. a. also Ludwig Bäte - the departure of the cog took place. The supporter of this change was the Westphalian author Josef Winckler, who was at the height of his fame at the time and probably just the right man for the transition to Der Kogge . Winckler, who was married to a Jew, survived the years between 1933 and 1945 by adapting to the given cultural norms, but there was no political commitment to the system. He did not eulogize the “Führer” or sign so-called “German Confessions”, nor did he appear as a speaker at official events.

Since 1954 the association has awarded the Kogge Prize in addition to a sponsorship prize. The awarding of the prize has been suspended since 2001 due to the ongoing tight budget situation in the city of Minden. Since 2018 the "KOGGE-Förderpreis der Stadt Stein" has been awarded every two years.

The cog since 1974

In 1974 the cog was renamed for the second time to “European Authors' Association DIE KOGGE eV” through new memberships of authors a. a. from Bulgaria, Italy, Austria, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Hungary, Sweden and Russia. Contrary to the original regional, partly ethnic-national orientation of the KOGGE, the "European idea 'of literature across borders [...] has become the central motif of the work of the KOGGE."

It is the only international association of authors in Germany with the lingua franca of German - that is, the works of all foreign members are translated into German and the authors can take part in discussions and conversations in German based on their knowledge of German.

The annual general meetings have been held alternately in Minden and Stein (Bavaria) since 2016 .

Members (selection)

Honourings and prices

The Kogge Literature Prize (Poet Prize of the City of Minden) was awarded in cooperation with the City of Minden, combined with an honorary gift of 5,000 euros. Since 2001 this has been interrupted due to financial difficulties.

So far received the award

The Cog Ring of Honor was donated by the city of Minden in 1953 as part of the assumed patronage of The Cog . This is awarded for life. It is not to be confused with the ring of honor of the city of Minden , which is awarded by the city council of Minden.

Winners of the ring of honor are or were:

The Kogge-Förderpreis was awarded for a promising work project and came with a bonus of 2,500 euros. It has also been suspended since 2001.

The cog award for literature of the city of Stein has been awarded every two years at the main conferences in Stein (Bavaria) since 2018. It is endowed with 1,000 euros and is awarded to members who are still at the beginning of their writing career. So far received the award

literature

  • Stefan Andres (ed.): The book of the cog . Verlag Lechte, Emsdetten 1958.
  • Uli Rothfuss (Ed.): THE KOGGE. Not all who wander are lost . In: Matrix . Journal for Literature and Art , 57th edition, Pop Verlag, Ludwigsburg 2019, pp. 9–146.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Ferdinand Krogmann: Landscape, Light and Low German Myth. The Worpswede art and the National Socialism. Weimar 2000
  2. ↑ Mark Behrens, Uli Rothfuss: History - The KOGGE. Retrieved May 27, 2019 .
  3. ↑ Bergischer calendar for the year 1956, p. 110
  4. ↑ Homepage Die Kogge, list of winners ( Memento from September 12, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  5. ↑ Mindener Tageblatt: Cog Ring of Honor for Harald Groehler, accessed on October 19, 2019

Coordinates: 52 ° 17 '18.6 "  N , 8 ° 55' 0.7"  E