Theodor Kramer Society
| Theodor Kramer Society | |
|---|---|
| purpose | Research and dissemination of the literature of exile , resistance and the work of Theodor Kramer |
| Chair: | Karl Muller |
| Establishment date: | 1984 |
| Seat : | Vienna |
| Website: | www.theodorkramer.at |
The Theodor Kramer Society was founded on March 6, 1984 in Vienna to research the life and work of Theodor Kramer and to contribute to the dissemination of the literature of exile and resistance. The first chairman was the administrator of Theodor Kramer's estate, Erwin Chvojka . The company's board of trustees included a. Erich Fried , Bruno Kreisky , Michael Guttenbrunner , Willy Sales-Verlon and Hilde Spiel . The first issue of the magazine “Mit der Ziehharmonika”, today “Zwischenwelt. Journal for the Culture of Exile and Resistance ”, which has meanwhile developed into an internationally recognized scientific forum for exile literature , was published in May 1984.
Literature, Exile and Resistance
In 1987 the area of interest of the society expanded in the direction of greater consideration of the entire Austrian exile literature and those authors who were persecuted during National Socialism or who resisted it. The Theodor Kramer Society has been publishing the quarterly magazine "Zwischenwelt" since 2000 (in the 17th year) . Journal of the Culture of Exile and Resistance ( ISSN 1606-4321 ). The editors of this magazine are Konstantin Kaiser and Vladimir Vertlib . The editorial team consists of Evelyn Adunka , Bernhard Kuschey, Marcus G. Patka , Peter Roessler, Alexander Emanuely , Katharina Prager, Matthias Fallenstein, Martin Krist.
In the yearbooks, authors such as Jura Soyfer , Berthold Viertel and, of course, Theodor Kramer were dealt with, as well as the topic of “women in exile”, inner emigration, exile in Great Britain or the “subject of remembering”. The publishing house of the Theodor Kramer Gesellschaft was founded in 1995 out of the desire and the necessity to re-publish or for the first time the works of the authors expelled from Austria or those murdered by the National Socialists. What was important was the critical look that exiles or those returning from exile cast on the country of their origin: learning to see oneself through the eyes of others and especially those who associate traumatic experiences with Austria is a major task in view of the open questions of our time. There have been and will be works by authors such as B. published by Alfredo Bauer , Karl Ausch , Stella Rotenberg , Herbert Kuhner , Dora Schimanko . The poetry series “Nadelstiche”, which is dedicated to the memory of Siglinde Bolbecher and whose first volume (entitled “Nadelstich”) gathers her poems, has been published since 2013. In 2018, the anthology "Theodor Kramer: Selected Poems" edited by Karl Müller and Peter Roessler appeared in this series.
The Theodor Kramer Society has held a number of scientific symposia and many cultural events, such as B. 2001 on the “Reception of Exile in Austria” or in Salzburg “Yiddish Culture and Literature from Austria”, 2003 in cooperation with the Austrian section of LICRA “Women in Resistance” or 2005 and 2006 in Vienna “Conversations about return”. On the 25th birthday of the Theodor Kramer Society in 2009, the symposium “Subject of memory?” With Georg Stefan Troller , Ruth Beckermann , Michel Cullin , Gerhard Scheit , Primavera Driessen Gruber , Hans Keilson and many others took place. instead of. In 2013 the event "Internationality of Exile" took place in the Bruno Kreisky Forum , in 2014 the international conference "Destruction of working-class culture through fascism and National Socialism - in memoriam Herbert Exenberger " in the VHS Brigittenau and in 2017, in cooperation with the Austrian Academy of Sciences , the " international conference on the autobiography of exile, resistance, persecution and camp experiences ”.
The currently almost 500 members of the society from Austria , Germany , Switzerland , France , Israel , Italy , the USA , South America and Asia have an archive and an extensive library of books and magazines at their disposal. You will find primarily manuscripts by Theodor Kramer, but also the estate of Herbert Exenberger.
The KRAGES
In 1934 a group had already been formed in Vienna that had given itself the name Theodor Kramer Society , or KRAGES for short. It was founded at the end of February 1934 by the German teacher Otto Spranger and his wife Rose to collect monthly contributions for the destitute Theodor Kramer. After the ban on the Arbeiter-Zeitung and other left-wing publications, where he had regularly published poetry, he was without income. Members and donors included a. Erika Mitterer , Paula Preradović , Kurt Blaukopf and Fritz Hochwälder .
Awards
Theodor Kramer Prize
Since 2001, the society has awarded the Theodor Kramer Prize for writing in resistance and exile, which is currently endowed with 8,000 (7,300 to 2016) euros.
Board of the Theodor Kramer Society
Board
- Karl Muller
- Peter Roessler
- Anna Mayer-Benedek
- Elisabeth Erler
- Herbert Staud
- Martin Krist
Assessor
- Harald Maria Höfinger
- Primus-Heinz Kucher
- Irene Nawrocka
- Vladimir Vertlib
- Primavera Driessen Gruber
- Karl Wimmler
- Marianne Windsperger
Managing directors
- Constantine Kaiser
scientific Assistant
Honorary members