Sprachsalz
  english info    

Information on „sprachsalz“ (Language salt), 7. International Literature festival
in Hall in Tyrol, Austria, from 11-13 September 2009.
This is the seventh time that “Sprachsalz” takes place. Already it has made a
name for itself among authors and lovers of literature throughout Europe. More
than 3000 visitors gathered last year to listen to the voices of twenty well-known
or newly-discovered authors.

“Sprachsalz” is an international festival geared mostly towards German-speaking readers and
audiences. Therefore our website (www.sprachsalz.com) is in German, but we would like to try
and translate for you the most important points so that you can form an impression of our Festival.
Sorry, that we cannot do more than that, but our budget ist too limited translating all.

This years invited guests are
• Juri Andruchowytsch, Ukraine
• Dominik Bernet, Switzerland
• Alex Capus, Switzerland
• Franz Dodel, Switzerland
• Andrea Gerster, Switzerland
• Joyce Johnson, USA
• Felicitas Hoppe, Germany
• Jack Hirschman, USA
• Anna Kim, Austria
• Andrej Kurkow, Ukraine
• Katja Lange-Müller, Germany
• Péter Nádas, Ungarn
• Pavel Schmidt, Switzerland
• Helmuth Schönauer, Austria
• Gerhard Rühm & Monika Lichtenfeld, Austria
• Arne Rautenberg, Germany
• Lydie Salvayre, France
• O.P. Zier, Austria
• Andriy Lyubka, Ukraine


What is there to know about “Sprachsalz”?
• In total twenty authors are invited to “Sprachsalz” for an entire weekend to give several
readings from their published books.
• All readings are free of charge: Our idea was to make literature accessible to all. As the
past two years have shown, many of the people who attend our Festival listen to readings for
their first time in their lives.
• Some of the authors are invited to bring along a young author of their choice who might
not be as well known as they themselves. We call these “godfathers of literature”. Their
younger colleagues are invited to give one reading where they will be introduced by their
“godfathers”.
• Most readings take place in the Park Hotel, where the authors are staying. The
atmosphere of our Festival is almost family-like. Hall in Tyrol is a small town of 13 000
inhabitants steeped in medieval traditions and surrounded by mountains. Two sspecial
readings find place outside the hotel.
• Most of the readings will be in German (with actors reading the German translation). But
some of the readings will also be in the original language or mixed.
• The events of the Festival will be covered by numerous journalists for a variety of
media.
• Saturday night is our special literature night in the big hall of the “Parkhotel”, with a
festive dinner during which a number of authors will be reading short pieces. We have
reserved seats for all of our authors, and you will receive vouchers to eat and drink there.
Please make sure to go to dinner between 7 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. (i. e. before the readings)
as later on only desserts will be served. All other meal times are for you to decide.
• Festival Office: You will find our Festival Office just next to the Parkhotel’s reception
desk. We will endeavour to assist with all your queries: travel, questions about the Festival,
any problems you might have.
• SAGe: Last year Sprachsalz established a fund for “authors in need”, SAGe. As Sprachsalz
does not charge admission fees, we ask the audience for voluntary donations (you will find
little boxes all over the place). The money thus collected will be used for authors who
encounter financial problems. We established this Fund because we know that some authors
find it difficult to survive financially. Feel free to donate some coins yourselves …


The organizers are a experienced team of six people, some of them authors
themselves: Magdalena Kauz, Heinz D. Heisl, Robert Renk, Elias Schneitter,
Max Hafele and Valerie Besl (press).


supporters/ sponsors of the festival are:
Main sponsors: City of Hall, Country Tirol, State of Austria, Parkhotel Hall, Hypo Tirol Bank,
Kulturregion Hall-Wattens.
Others: Der Standard, Buchhandlung Wagnersche, Mercedes Retterwerk Hall, Literarmechana, Pro Helvetia, M&M Werbeagentur, Paperplanks, Institut français d’innsbruck, Robert-Bosch Stiftung, Café Central, UBI, Japan EU FEST, Tiroler Tageszeitung, Tiroler Versicherung, Knallgrau, Lampe Reisen. „Wäscherei P“ und der Medienturm von Ablinger.Garber.


Authors of the first 6 years were:
Alois Hotschnig 2003; Wilhelm Genazino 2003; Robert Schindel 2003; Gert Jonke 2003; José F. A. Oliver 2003; Gerhard Kofler 2003; Peter Bichsel 2003; Sabine Gruber 2003; Paul Nizon 2003; Brigitte Giraud 2003; Franz Kabelka 2003; Marek van der Jagt 2003; Ioanna Karystiani 2003; Ismail Kadaré 2003; Tatjana Tolstaja 2003; Natasza Goerke 2003; Zoran Feric 2003; Kathy Zarnegin 2003; Becge Cufaj 2003;

Klaus Merz 2004; Yoko Tawada 2004; Peter Weber 2004; Alberto Manguel 2004; Franz Hodjak 2004; Herta Müller 2004; Katharina Faber 2004; Norbert Mayer 2004; Janusz Glowacki 2004; Claire Keegan 2004; Dzevad Karahasan, 2004; Andrej Blatnik, 2004; Annie Saumont 2004; Jacques Lederer 2004; Harry Redl, Fotograf 2004; Jürgen Nendza 2004; Andres Lutz/ frank heierli 2004; Dietmar Eder 2004;

Friedrich Achleitner 2005; Christoph W. Bauer 2005; Diane Broeckhoven 2005; Ira Cohen 2005; Antonio Fian 2005; Takashi Hiraide 2005; Edgar Hilsenrath 2005; Leslie Kaplan 2005; Peter Kurzeck 2005; Colum Mc Cann 2005; Kenzaburo Oe 2005; Ilma Rakusa 2005; Gerhard Falkner 2005; Ales Steger 2005; Florian Vetsch 2005; Josef Winkler 2005; Peter Zilahy 2005; Elisabeth Wandeler-Deck 2005; Steffen Popp 2005; Pedro Lenz 2005;

David Albahari 2006; Hans Aschenwald 2006; Peter O. Chotjewitz 2006; Alban Nikolai Herbst 2006; Sibylle Lewitscharoff 2006; Sudabeh Mohafez 2006; Roger Monnerat 2006; Kathrin Röggla 2006; Oksana Sabushchko 2006; Ed Sanders 2006; Martin Stadler 2006; Robert Wölfl 2006; Rainer Weiss 2006; Gerhard Jaschke 2006; Raphael Urweider 2006; Janine Pommy Vega 2006;

Barbara Bongartz 2007; Beate Rothmaier 2007; Haas Carla 2007; Dante Andrea Franzetti 2007; Dieter Zwicky 2007; Eckhard Henscheid 2007; Frank Mc Court 2007; Gustav Ernst 2007; Ilija Trojanow 2007; Julia Belomlinskaja 2007; Matthias Schönweger 2007; Michael Lentz 2007; Molly Mc Closkey 2007; Raoul Schrott 2007; Raymond Federman 2007; Ruth Weiss 2007; Bora Cosic 2007; Abdoulrahman Waberi 2007; Anne Waldman 2007;

Otto de Kat 2008; Nora Gomringer 2008; Catherine Guillebaud 2008; Bodo Hell 2008;
Michal Hvorecký 2008; Drago Jancar 2008; Werner Kofler 2008; Urs Mannhart 2008; Colum
McCann 2008; Felix Mitterer 2008; Charles Plymell 2008; Gerhard Ruiss 2008; Klaus F.
Schneider 2008; Erasmus Schöfer 2008; Margit Schreiner 2008; Monique Schwitter 2008; Markus Werner 2008; Britta Fugger 2008;



nach oben

 .