Then, Now and Never: WOBBS Reads Lost Places in Braunschweig
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Lost Places, New Stories: A Literary Journey through Braunschweig
When spaces lose their original function, their second story often begins. At the INDUSTRIEKULTUR Café, the writing group WOBBS invites you on October 20, 2026, to a reading from the anthology Then, Now and Never at the Silberquelle in Braunschweig. Between memory, urban change, and narrative imagination, a literary experience unfolds about places that disappear yet continue to live on in cultural memory.
Lost Places as Literary Settings
Eleven authors explore real and imagined Lost Places in Braunschweig and the surrounding area in their texts. The anthology connects different voices, genres, and narrative perspectives to form a multi-layered portrait of the region. Once-familiar spaces appear as resonant bodies for personal memories, societal changes, and visions of the future.
The stories depict life in the service of long-closed supermarkets, envision a Braunschweig city center fallen victim to the internet economy, and follow a love that loses its direction in the intoxication of modern mobility. Thus, urban history is not presented museally, but rather as a vivid art of language.
Between Present, Memory, and Future
The reading takes place in the underground garage of the TU Braunschweig, which transforms into an eerie site of scientific research. In Wolfenbüttel, the texts encounter old crimes, while alchemical vapors prophesy a possible future. Other narratives let the wind dance and often tread narratively on a razor's edge.
It is precisely this connection between regional anchoring and literary freedom that makes Then, Now and Never remarkable. The texts question what remains of a city when its buildings, transportation routes, and working worlds disappear. At the same time, they show how literature gains new narratives and cultural significance from seemingly incidental places.
Four Voices from the Writing Group WOBBS
Melanie Bähre, Mailin Weder, Wolfgang ten Brink, and Zoryana Paily read selected stories from the anthology. Their author encounter offers different approaches to Braunschweig and the Braunschweig region: sometimes atmospheric and reminiscent, sometimes speculative, dark, or characterized by fine irony.
The reading atmosphere at the Silberquelle promises focused listening and immediate closeness to the language. Voice, rhythm, and narrative design make the literary quality of the texts experienceable live. The audience will not only witness a book presentation but also a cultural quest between industrial history, urban change, and contemporary literature.
Conclusion: Literature Makes Hidden Places Visible
The INDUSTRIEKULTUR Café connects reading, regional memory culture, and literary imagination. Anyone wishing to discover Braunschweig from unusual perspectives and experience the linguistic art of WOBBS authors directly will find an inspiring literary experience on this evening. Participation is free, registration is required.
Official Channels of WOBBS and Forum Industriekultur e.V.:
- Instagram: no official profile found
- Facebook: no official profile found
- Website of the author group: no official profile found
- Organizer website: https://forum-industriekultur.de/veranstaltungen
