Reading: Burkhart Veigel / Roswitha Quadflieg – “Frei” (novel)

 

In the years after the building of the Berlin Wall BURKHART VEIGEL was one of the most successful escape helpers, bringing people over the border into West-Berlin. Hundreds of these escapes were planned and organized from his room at Studentendorf Schlachtensee where he was living from 1961 to 64. For his engagement he was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit in 2012.

This summer, together with the author, artist and publicist ROSWITHA QUADFLIEG, he published the fictitious novel “Frei” which is based on these events. Now he returns to the original location to read from his book. For the audience this will not only offer an exciting insight into German history but surely also some anecdotes from the Studentendorf of that time.

 

ROSWITHA QUADFLIEG was born in Zurich and grew up in Hamburg. After studying art she founded her own publishing workshop, Raamin Press, where she printed works of world literature with her own illustrations. She earned numerous prizes and awards for her work. From 1985 on she also worked as an author, writing novels, essays, theatre plays, audio books and film scripts. Since 2012 she is living in Berlin. Among her last works are: “Neun Monate. Über das Sterben meiner Mutter” (2014) and “Das kurze Leben des Giuseppe M.” (2016).

BURKHART VEIGEL was born in Thuringia and grew up in Swabia. He studied medicine in West-Berlin. After specialist medical training for trauma surgeon and orthopaedist he had his own practice in Stuttgart for 30 years. Since 2007 he is living in Berlin again. His non-fiction book “Wege durch die Mauer. Fluchthilfe und Stasi zwischen Ost und West.” was published in 2011.