Talk and Discussion
At the age of 19, Klaus Mann wrote one of the first queer novels in the German-speaking world. It was also his first novel (of seven) and bears strong autobiographical traits from his time in Berlin and Paris. Like many of his works, this novel also evoked mixed reactions: Some celebrated him for his courage, as homosexuality was a criminal offence in the Weimar Republic. Others criticised him contemptuously for what they saw as his obtrusive openness about homoeroticism.
Image gallery
The lecture focuses on the history of the novel's creation and impact. And: Speaker Frank Träger poses a speculative question: Would Klaus Mann have used gender-neutral language today?
Klaus Mann (1906-1949), German-American writer; early work deals with breaking taboos during the Weimar Republic; emigrated after Hitler came to power; literary activist against the Nazi regime in exile; 1941-1945 US Army, 1943 US citizenship; 1949 death in Cannes
Frank Träger (1959) secondary school teacher, founder and chairman of the Klaus Mann Initiative Berlin e. V.
Dates
February 2026
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