Tobias Lehmkuhl »Keine von uns: Das Leben der Irmgard Keun«

In her mid-twenties, Irmgard Keun became a star overnight: in »Gilgi – eine von uns« and »Das kunstseidene Mädchen«, she portrayed ambitious, emancipated women of the Weimar Republic – but then the Nazis seized power, and Keun became an ostracised author. Undaunted, she took legal action against the Nazis, eventually emigrated to Amsterdam, had a stormy relationship with Joseph Roth whilst in exile, and maintained friendships with Heinrich Mann and Stefan Zweig. In 1940, she returned to Germany, but was unable to build on the success of her pre-war years. It was not until the final years before her death in 1982 that her work was rediscovered in Germany – and is still read today.

In a captivating narrative, the author and literary critic Tobias Lehmkuhl unravels Irmgard Keun’s biography and discusses it with Janika Gelinek, co-director of the Literaturhaus Berlin.

Afterwards, anyone who wishes is welcome to join us on a short walk to Irmgard Keun’s birthplace at Meinekestraße 6, right next to the Literaturhaus Berlin.