Martin Piekar in Heilbronn: Reading from From Falling a Family Tree
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A debut novel about heritage, care, and the language of memory
Martin Piekar is an author coming to Heilbronn, whose prose draws its literary power from the tension between closeness and loss. At the closing event of the WORTSTATT writing competition, he will read from his debut novel From Falling a Family Tree and lead us into a family story that intertwines migration, work life, illness, and the subtle, often painful forms of belonging.
Between migration experience and poetic precision
Piekar tells the story of Marcin, who comes to Germany as a child from Poland and carves out his place in a world of video games, nu metal, and poetry. It is this connection of contemporary nerve, autobiographical resonance, and linguistic density that makes the reading a literary experience for all who appreciate contemporary German-Polish literature, coming-of-age novels, and socially precise storytelling.
A voice with stage experience and literary authority
The writer, born in 1990, lives in Frankfurt am Main, works as a poet and teacher, and is no longer a new voice in the literary scene. His poetry collections include Bastardecho, Amokpervers, and Livestream & Corpses. He has been awarded, among others, the KELAG Prize, the BKS Bank Audience Award in Klagenfurt, the Robert Gernhardt Prize, and a nomination for the Alfred Döblin Prize. For From Falling a Family Tree, he is also on the shortlist for the Harbour Front Debut Prize and the shortlist for the aspekte Literary Award.
Reading atmosphere in Deutschhof
The event will take place at the Kulturzentrum Deutschhof or in the Volkshochschule Heilbronn, a place that uniquely combines education, culture, and public debate. The reading will be moderated by literature house director Dr. Anton Knittel and will begin following the recognition of the winners of the writing competition. The fact that admission is free lowers the threshold and increases the chance for a close author encounter in an open, approachable atmosphere.
Why this evening is worthwhile
Those seeking literary quality will find here a novel that does not show heritage as a backdrop, but as a living, contradictory experience. Piekar’s language connects emphasis and precision, family history and societal present, vulnerability and resilience. This reading promises no smooth narrative but an intense conversation with a debut that resonates.
Conclusion: In Heilbronn, the audience can expect an intelligent, moving reading with discussion that takes literature as a search movement seriously. Those who want to experience contemporary literature with depth should follow this evening live.
Official channels of Martin Piekar:
- Instagram: no official profile found
- Facebook: no official profile found
- Website: https://martin-piekar.net/
- Publisher: https://www.rowohlt.de/autor/martin-piekar-44154
