I will be in Germany from October 18th to 26th teaching a writing seminar and talking about Ukraine and my book The Rooster House. I will be visiting Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, and Leipzig. I hope that I can meet some of you during my visit.
October 18th, Frankfurt
Frankfurt Book Fair, Ukrainian Collective Stand/ Hall:4.1. Stand: B
16:00-17:00
The Rooster House: My Ukrainian Family Story
Victoria Belim (Writer, journalist, translator, and fragrance specialist). Moderator: Kyrylo Beskorovainyi (Co-founder of Kunsht).
Ukrainian Book Institute, Goethe-Institut, U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt
In 2014, the landmarks of Victoria Belim’s personal geography were plunged into tumult at the hands of Russia. Her hometown, Kyiv, was gripped by protests and violence. Crimea, where she’d once been sent to school to avoid radiation from the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, was invaded. Kharkiv, where her grandmother Valentina studied economics and fell in love; Donetsk, where her father once worked; and Mariupol, where she and her mother bought a cherry tree for Valentina’s garden, all became battlegrounds. Victoria, by then a naturalized American citizen then living in Brussels, felt she had to go back. She had to spend time with her aging grandmother and her cousin Dmytro. She had to unravel a family mystery spanning several generations. And she needed to understand how her country’s tragic history of communist revolution, civil war, famine, world war, totalitarianism, and fraught independence had changed the course of their lives. A young woman’s quest to uncover her family’s difficult past reveals broader truths about the present conflict. Victoria Belim’s memoir is a personal history of her family’s turbulent past and a celebration of Ukrainian identity. The German translation was published as “Rote Sirenen. Die Geschichte meiner ukrainischen Familie“ with Aufbau Verlag.
October 19, Frankfurt
Reading and Conversation with the author Victoria Belim
Moderated by Jonas Driedger (PRIF)
Thursday, October 19, 7 p.m.
Fotografie Forum Frankfurt
Braubachstr. 30-32
60311 Frankfurt
In 2014, the landmarks of Victoria Belim’s personal geography were plunged into tumult at the hands of Russia. Her hometown, Kyiv, was gripped by protests and violence. Crimea, where she’d once been sent to school to avoid radiation from the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, was invaded. Kharkiv, where her grandmother Valentina studied economics and fell in love; Donetsk, where her father once worked; and Mariupol, where she and her mother bought a cherry tree for Valentina’s garden, all became battlegrounds.
Victoria, by then a naturalized American citizen then living in Brussels, felt she had to go back. She had to spend time with her aging grandmother and her cousin Dmytro. She had to unravel a family mystery spanning several generations. And she needed to understand how her country’s tragic history of communist revolution, civil war, famine, world war, totalitarianism, and fraught independence had changed the course of their lives. A young woman’s quest to uncover her family’s difficult past reveals broader truths about the present conflict. Victoria Belim’s memoir is a personal history of her family’s turbulent past and a celebration of Ukrainian identity.
October 23, Berlin
20:00: Reading at English Theatre Berlin, moderated by Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, with German reader Meike Rötzer (https://www.etberlin.de/production/victoria-belim/)
October 24, Munich
18:00: Reading and Discussion event at Europäische Janusz Korczak Akademie, Blumenstraße 29, 80331 München
Audience: Youth Bridge (EJKA leadership program for youth from various backgrounds), Students for Ukraine etc.
Moderator: Prof. Dr. Maria Pryshlak, President, Ukrainian Free University
October 25, Leipzig
17:00: Program at Consulate General Leipzig, Wilhelm-Seyfferth-Strasse 4, 04103 Leipzig
More information about The Rooster House can be found on My Book page.
13 Comments
maja: Congratulations, Victoria. And hope to see you in Milan soon. October 13, 2023 at 11:05am
Victoria: Thank you very much! October 16, 2023 at 9:49am
WARA: With you in spirit dearest Victoria!!!! Your Ancestors will guide your way and give you strength and wisdom. All our love!!!! October 13, 2023 at 2:24pm
Victoria: Thank you very much, Wara! October 16, 2023 at 9:49am
Silke: I am very happy to see the success of your book! I always thought that you are a very refined and special person, and I am confirmed now 🙂
I would like to come to your reading at Munich, but most probably I will have to work at this evening. I will try, though…. October 13, 2023 at 5:01pm
Victoria: It would be a pleasure to meet you, Silke! October 16, 2023 at 9:50am
Dorothy Van Daele: Congratulations, Victoria.
And thank you for your posts on sunscreen. I have used Paula’s Choice sunscreens for years, but often feel my face is a shiny oil slick by noon. Found FotoProtector ISDIN Fusion Water SPF50+. Love it. October 14, 2023 at 10:03am
Victoria: I’m so glad that it was helpful. I also like ISDIN and use both their SPF30 and SPF50 sunscreens. October 16, 2023 at 9:50am
OnWingsofSaffron: Dear Victoria, I wish you a very successful book reading tour in Germany! I sincerely hope your book will receive the attention it deserves and many new readers!
Viel Erfolg und viel Glück! October 15, 2023 at 2:12pm
Victoria: Thank you for your nice wishes! October 16, 2023 at 9:51am
Vandana Vivek Hiremath: Dearest Victoria, I appreciate innovation expressed in your excerpt plus the travel dates where creative encouragements yourself and local artists (for communicating w audiences) is undertaken by you. I thank you. Yours, Love (professional) Vandana October 20, 2023 at 9:48am
Victoria: Thank you very much for your kind words. October 20, 2023 at 9:53am
Vandana Vivek Hiremath: Dearest (professional) Victoria,
I had to add- maximize human endeavors thru your efforts / speech / hard work shows…I love that spirit in you professional. Thank you. Love (professional) Van October 20, 2023 at 10:00am