When does the reading take place?

The event takes place on 07.09.2026 from 19:00 to 20:30.

Where is the reading?

The venue is the City and State Library Potsdam in the Educational Forum, Am Kanal 47, 14467 Potsdam.

Is the admission free?

Yes, the event is free of charge.

Is it just a reading or is there also a conversation?

It is a reading with a conversation. Uwe Fröhlich is indicated as the moderator.

What is the novel about?

The focus is on departure, alienation, queer self-discovery, and a life between different countries and continents.

Is the venue accessible?

The venue is listed as a public educational forum with accessibility information. For current details, it is recommended to contact the library.

A smart literary evening between departure, memory, and world history in Potsdam

Name: Lutz van Dijk reads in Potsdam: The Wide World
Start: 2026-09-07T21:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-07T22:30:00+02:00
Location: Stadt- und Landesbibliothek Potsdam

A literary evening about departure, memory, and the right to a home

This reading at the City and State Library Potsdam delves into the narrative and political power of Lutz van Dijk's novel The Wide World – New York to Cape Town. The evening combines reading and conversation into a literary experience that condenses personal biography, contemporary history, and societal discourse into an intense author encounter.

A novel that opens life paths

Lutz van Dijk narrates about departure, alienation, and self-assertion. The perspective ranges from New York through Hamburg, Amsterdam, and Jerusalem to Cape Town, making visible how a single life bundles political fractures, queer identity, and global experience into a strong narrative. Those seeking literary quality with stance will find here an evening of exceptional linguistic and cultural density.

Reading atmosphere in the educational forum

The City and State Library in the educational forum Potsdam provides the perfect setting for an intimate reading atmosphere. Between library, conversation, and public exchange, a space is created where literature is not only read but experienced together. Moderated by Uwe Fröhlich, the evening gains additional clarity and structure.

Biography, work, and literary authority

Lutz van Dijk was born in Berlin in 1955, worked as a teacher, earned a doctorate in educational sciences, and has been engaged for decades in educational and human rights contexts. His work has received numerous awards, including the youth literature prize from Namibia, the Gustav Heinemann Peace Prize, and the Rosa Courage Prize. Thus, he represents literature that unites memory, emancipation, and social responsibility.

Why it is worth visiting

This evening appeals to readers who do not perceive literary storytelling as mere entertainment but as access to history, identity, and the present. The combination of novel, conversation, and the special location of the library makes the event an inspiring literary experience with depth.

At the end, visitors can expect a concentrated, moving, and at the same time insightful encounter with an author whose texts resonate far beyond the evening. Anyone wanting to experience contemporary literature in its cultural significance should attend this reading live.