Who Narrates Czechia?

About this event

The Klingspor Museum’s Czech book art exhibition provides the setting for this afternoon talk that looks beyond the page: how does Czech literature, from 100-year-old classics to today’s novels, shape the country’s image abroad? Publisher and editor Danuše Siering presents the new Kröner Verlag release _30 tschechische Autoren, die man lesen sollte_ (30 Czech authors you should read), an alphabetically arranged literary mosaic inspired by Vítězslav Nezval’s avant-garde work _Abeceda_. The volume brings together both internationally recognised names and underexposed voices, offering a map through Czech literary history. A highlight of the discussion is the presence of Kateřina Tučková, one of the country’s most translated living writers, whose work often follows women’s fates under political and social pressure. Her recent novel _Bílá Voda_ (Weisswasser) tells the story of Catholic nuns persecuted during the communist era — a theme the author will introduce. Together, Siering and Tučková discuss the hurdles a Czech book must clear before facing an international readership: translation, marketing, and visual packaging, including how cover design, typography and illustration shape a first impression. The conversation is moderated by Eric Marr and conducted in German and Czech, with translation provided throughout.