Opening speech
Clemens Meyer, born 1977 in Halle (Saale), is one of the most influential voices in contemporary German literature. In 2006 his debut novel "Als wir träumten" was published, followed by "Die Nacht, die Lichter. Stories" (2008), the novel "Im Stein" (2013) and the Frankfurt Poetics Lectures (2016). Meyer has received numerous prizes, including the Leipzig Book Fair Prize. "Im Stein" was shortlisted for the German Book Prize, was awarded the Bremen Literature Prize and nominated for the Man Booker International Prize 2017. "Als wir träumten" was filmed for the cinema and "In den Gänge" was filmed after its narrative; both films ran in the competition of the Berlinale. In 2017 the short stories "Die stillen Trabanten" were published.
Now Clemens Meyer comes to the Ruhrfestspiele and, following Judith Schalansky last year, gives the opening speech.