PEN center for writers in exile in German-speaking countries
The PEN center for writers in exile in German-speaking countries (Exil-PEN) is an association in Berlin .
The society brings together some writers who, due to political persecution, felt compelled to emigrate to Germany, Austria or Switzerland. It was founded in 1948. The current president is Wolfgang Schlott.
The short name “Exil-PEN” often leads to confusion with the PEN center for German-speaking authors abroad , which at times also carried the name “Exil-PEN” and which still uses this name on its website today. The two centers partly have personnel overlaps and organize joint events.
history
The Spaniard Salvador de Madariaga y Rojo had to leave his home country in the 1930s to avoid persecution by the Franco dictatorship . In 1948 he founded the association and in 1956 he became a member of the umbrella organization PEN. The association is based in Berlin .
The majority of the members come from former Eastern Bloc countries. The centre's website recorded two significant waves of entry, the first was the Hungarian uprising in 1956 and the Prague spring in 1968. Both events caused the membership of the PEN in exile to rise suddenly.