from the newspaper (Germany):

FREITAG 47

15.11.2002

Ingo Arend

Away with the chains

God foodthe “open mike” - literature competition 2002

Can the Germans read still correctly? If one believes the Pisa studies, it goes with the read ability of the young Germans downhill. Books are scorned. Today one looks briefly in the internet and sends SMS. But then each autumn well 200 young people endure to read two days during the annual "Reading Marathon" for the culturall citizens of Berlin somehow in the form like literature workshop. This time even, directly beside one the large multiplex cinema, in the culture brewery! The magic attraction of the open mike - literature Competition was also unbroken in its tenth year. 700 like gladly man of letters inside sent their manuscripts in this year. With 6000 texts since its establishment of this promotion competition for young German writing became a literary attraction pole without resembling. Such does a cool cult Event punish not also the pessimistic complaint Wolfgang Hilbigs lies? “Vague, vaguely” and “edge-constantly” had called the new Georg Büchner winner the place of the literature in the society a few weeks ago. (...)

Of the error of the “wrong encouragement” Jury´s  had still warned Josef Haslinger briefly of the competition on a Symposion. All the more scandalous that the three price judges (beside Haslinger Ulrike Draesner and Birgit Kempker) attached three stories the victory palm told rather without risk. Real gifts such as Achim Stricker from Tübingen or Milena Oda from Duesseldorf pulled against it without the obligatory “praising mention” from away. More complex the read ability might not have become in Germany by this “encouragement”. (...)