On January 16, 2026, the Berlin Telegraph Office invites you to the book launch of Mirna Funk's novel *Balagan*. The novel tells a German-Jewish family story set between Berlin and Tel Aviv.
Image gallery
Mirna Funk
The book launch will be moderated by Julia Encke, head of the arts and culture section of the *Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung*.
About the author:
Mirna Funk, born in 1981 in East Berlin, studied philosophy and works as an author and freelance journalist for publications including the *FAZ*, *Süddeutsche Zeitung*, and *Die Zeit*. Since 2021, she has written a monthly sex column for *Cosmopolitan*, and previously published articles about Jewish life on *Vogue* online. Her debut novel, *Winternähe* (Winter's Proximity), was awarded the Uwe Johnson Prize for emerging writers, and her non-fiction book *Who Cares* became a bestseller.
About the book:
After her grandfather's death, Amira discovers her family's art collection, which had been thought lost since World War II. But what should she do with this inheritance? Keep it, donate it, or sell it? When doubts arise about the legitimate provenance of the artworks, Amira is drawn into a maelstrom of questions about responsibility, guilt, and identity. Balagan interweaves personal history with the political reality of 2024, addressing power and morality in the art world, family conflicts, and the search for stability in a world gone awry.
IN GERMAN
Additional information
Dates
January 2026
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