Olga Grjasnowa: Guest lecturer on the Leuphana - a look at her work!

Olga Grjasnowa: Guest lecturer on the Leuphana - a look at her work!

Lüneburg, Deutschland - Olga Grjasnowa, an outstanding voice in contemporary literature, will take over the Heinrich-Heine-Gastdozentur at Leuphana University of Lüneburg from June 19 to 21, 2025. Known for her impressive Rome Bud "The Russian is one who loves birches", which was awarded the Anna Seghers Prize in 2012, Grjasnowa has received international attention in recent years. Her current novel "July, August, September", which was published in 2024, addresses the complex life of a modern Jewish family in Berlin and is dealt with during her stay as part of a public lecture. This will take place on June 19, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the lecture hall 4 of the university, and will talk to the moderator Andrea Gerk from Deutschlandfunk about her work.

GRJASNOWA's literary work is characterized by profound topics such as identity, family and belonging. In "July, August, September" the history of the Jewish family of Sergej, a pianist, and Lou, whose daughter Rosa has never been in a synagogue. The plot unfolds at a removed resort on Gran Canaria, where an ex-Soviet clan from Israel comes together. Lou fights with inner demons and is looking for answers to her questions while systematically consuming alcohol to escape her inner emptiness.

insights into Grejasnowa's work

born in 1984 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Grjasnowa not only reached a wide audience, but her works were translated into a total of 15 languages. Before she became a professor at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna in 2023, she gained experience in different countries, including Poland, Russia, Turkey, the USA and Israel. This diversity is reflected in its literature, which is often shaped by the challenges and realities of modern life.

The Heinrich-Heine-Gastdozentur, which Grejasnowa has held, is a cooperation project by the Lüneburg literary office and the Leuphana University. Since 2009, numerous respected authors have used this platform to give public lectures and seminars. The guest lecturer is supported by Sparda-Bank Hamburg, the district of Lüneburg and the Lüneburg Landscape Association.

In the summer semester 2025, students under the direction of Julian Osthues worked intensively with Grejasnowa's work and will take part in a two -day workshop. The topics of literary modernism, which are often addressed in the writings of Grejasnowa, affect social and cultural upheavals that have their roots in historical events. This dimension enables readers not only to immerse themselves in the individual stories of the characters, but also to reflect on the social circumstances that shape their lives