Since last year, the Literaturbüro NRW has been regularly presenting literary chaos at the Musikbar Schleuse Zwei in the Bilker Bunker. As part of the series “Die neue deutsche Seltsamkeit” (The New German Strangeness), the focus is on texts that no longer content themselves with depicting reality but instead explore the boundaries of what can be narrated.
A wild mix of genres meets a vision of the future. Alternative reality collides with digitally shaped narrative forms. Categorizations are overcome, making way for deliberate confusion. In the featured texts, oceans vanish, dating apps become investigative tools, and young women turn to vandalism to become internet stars. We leap just as readily into the year 2130 as we do into an unprecedented past. Following the readings and discussions, the bar will remain open and various DJs will present a curated music program.
The guests of “New German Strangeness” on June 24, 2026, are:
Raphaela Edelbauer studied language arts at the University of Applied Arts. For her work “Entdecker. Eine Poetik,” she was awarded the main prize of the Rauriser Literaturtage. Her debut novel “Das flüssige Land” was shortlisted for the German Book Prize, and her third novel “Die Inkommensurablen” was longlisted. She received the Austrian Book Prize for her second novel “DAVE.” Raphaela Edelbauer lives in Vienna.
Petra Piuk, born in Burgenland, lives in Vienna. She has worked in film and television for many years, both in front of and behind the camera. Petra Piuk writes novels and children’s books and has received numerous prizes and awards for her work. Her most recent publications include the collection of prose *Die Liebe der Korallen* (Sonderzahl 2024) and the children’s book *Schneewittchen pfeift auf Prinzessin* (Leykam 2024).
Following the reading, Vitaminka & ey will perform at Schleuse Zwei.
A series of events in cooperation with Schleuse Zwei at the Bilker Bunker.
Supported by the Kunststiftung NRW and the Kunst- und Kulturstiftung der Stadtsparkasse Düsseldorf.
