Gottfried Benn-Tag: Monika Lennartz is dedicated to the controversial poet

Gottfried Benn-Tag: Monika Lennartz is dedicated to the controversial poet

In the small town of Mansfeld, a cultural heritage will be kept alive this year: the Gottfried-Benn-Day. This special event honors the important German poet Gottfried Benn, who saw the light of day in Mansfeld in 1886. During his time he was celebrated as one of the most influential representatives of Expressionism, but not without controversy. The National Socialists mowed his works, for which he was often hostile. Nevertheless, in a controversial speech in 1933, he made the demand that poets should actively work on the National Socialist state, which earned him a lot of criticism. Despite the doubts about his political understanding, Benn later gained fame, especially with his publication "Static Poems" in Switzerland two years after the end of the Second World War.

This year the Gottfried-Benn-Day, now for the twelfth time, is a platform for a deeper examination of his life and work. In the village church, Monika Lennartz, a prominent actress who lives in Berlin and Krumbeck, will appear as a special grass. Your reading will not only rely on Benn's works, but will also involve current documentaries about its multifaceted and contradictory life. The aim is to draw a differentiated portrait of the poet that neither indulges in blind admiration nor remain in degrading criticism.

A profound reading in the sign of music

The program not only includes the reading of Benn's poems, but is also accompanied musically. Hendrik Wielgosz am Piano and Henner Harders on the Gambe will provide the right atmosphere and accompany the literary performances of Lennartz. This is a great opportunity to fulfill the time -honored church with music and poetry and thus the thoughts and feelings that Benn's works cause works even more intensely.

Lennartz is considered one of the most distinguished voices in the German theater. Her career, which extends over many decades, is proof of its deep connection to literature. Her commitment to interpret works by authors such as Thomas Mann and Lew Tolstoy shows how passionately she deals with language and narrative art. "Her deepening into the work of Thomas Mann, Lew Tolstoi, Leonhard Frank, Johannes Bobrowski and now Gottfried Benn is always a fascinating search for traces," notes the companion Jürgen Rennert about her and underlines the importance of her work.

Gottfried Benns Philosophical Questions

Creating a central text in Benns is the poem "only two things" from January 1953. In it, he addresses the existential questions of life and the search for meaning: "Tarred / through so many forms / through I and you / but everything remained / through the eternal question: Why?" These lines invite you to question your own existence and give an insight into the philosophical concepts that Benn's works do.

Entry to the Gottfried-Benn-Day is free. This initiative of the Mansfeld Gottfried-Benn-Förderkreis is not only a tribute to the poet, but also an invitation to everyone who is interested in literature and culture and would like to take the opportunity to dive into the world of Benn. It is a nice example of how literature and music come together to create a profound and moving experience.