Gone and forgotten, or learning from history? Elisabeth Schneider’s novel *Langergang 36*

This evening, the author Elisabeth Schneider will lead a discussion on the connections between the period in which the novel is set – the decades from 1900 to 1920 – and our current global situation.

The themes include origin, migration and integration, ethnic and religious diversity, women’s struggle for equality, social inequality, precarious housing and living conditions, labour disputes, and conflicting social forces.

The novel *Langergang 36. In the Twilight of Hamburg’s Gängeviertel*, published in autumn 2026 by PalmArtPress, and its predecessor *Nach dem Wassertag* (2023) tell the story of the courageous and worldly-wise Maria Wenzel. The first book focuses on her childhood and youth in Bosnia up until she moved with her husband and children from Sarajevo to Hamburg’s Gängeviertel. It paints a picture of Bosnia during the period of political and social upheaval from 1886 to 1912, characterised by both harmony and violence in the multi-confessional, multi-ethnic state, as well as within Maria’s marriage. ‘Langergang 36’ follows on from the previous novel, though it can be read independently. Here, the focus is on life in the working-class neighbourhood, which had a notorious reputation, during the years 1912 to 1922. The historical events and developments woven into the fictional narrative – such as the rise of the women’s movement, the outbreak and consequences of the First World War, and the turmoil of the years that followed – anchor this multi-layered panoramic narrative within the social context of its time.

(in German)

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