When does the reading with Thomas Weiß take place?

The reading takes place on Monday, October 26, 2026, from 7 to 8:30 PM.

Where does the event take place?

The venue is the Literature House Heilbronn in Trappenseeschlösschen, Trappensee 1, 74074 Heilbronn.

What is the cost of admission?

The regular admission costs 10 Euros plus pre-sale fee. Members of the support association pay 8 Euros, students and trainees pay 3 Euros.

Who moderates the evening?

The discussion with Thomas Weiß will be moderated by Literature House director Dr. Anton Knittel.

What is the focus of the reading?

Thomas Weiß talks about the life of Johann Peter Hebel and shows how relevant his humanity, liberalism, and radical contemporaneity appear today.

Has the venue changed?

Yes. The event will not take place at the KSK customer center Bad Friedrichshall, but at the Literature House Heilbronn and will begin at 7 PM.

Thomas Weiß Reads Hebel in Heilbronn 2026

Name: Thomas Weiß: Johann Peter Hebel – The Whisperer of Home
Start: 2026-10-26T19:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-10-26T20:30:00+01:00
Location: Literaturhaus Heilbronn

Rediscovering Johann Peter Hebel: Thomas Weiß at the Literature House Heilbronn

Johann Peter Hebel is one of those authors whose language sounds familiar yet continually surprises. On Monday, October 26, 2026, Thomas Weiß will delve into the Alemannic poet, theologian, and Enlightenment thinker at the Literature House Heilbronn. The reading with discussion begins at 7 PM and will be moderated by Literature House director Dr. Anton Knittel.

A literary portrait beyond the familiar

Known through the Alemannic Poems and the Treasure Chest of the Rhineland House Friend, Hebel often appears as a poet of regional closeness. Thomas Weiß shifts the focus to another side of this work: Hebel's radical contemporaneity, his human kindness, and his liberal stance. Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Tucholsky, Elias Canetti, and Walter Jens recognized in Hebel an author of remarkable intellectual modernity.

Language as precise observation of the world

Thomas Weiß, a Protestant theologian, author, and editor, approaches Hebel from the perspective of a later colleague. The focus is on the life, thoughts, and linguistic artistry of a contentious cleric who attentively observed his surroundings and encouraged the active shaping of his environment. The reading combines historical literary context with narrative vividness and opens access to Hebel's narrative and lyrical quality.

From Baden into the cultural discourse of the present

Weiß was born in Karlsruhe in 1961, studied theology in Bielefeld and Heidelberg, and now lives in Baden-Baden. His literary work includes poetry, prose, prayers, and cultural-historical writings. He is a member of PEN Germany and has repeatedly engaged with literature, religion, and social responsibility. Together with Karl-Josef Kuschel, he reissued Johann Peter Hebel's Biblical Stories. Most recently, the book Theuerste Freundin: Women around Johann Peter Hebel was published in 2023.

Reading atmosphere at Trappenseeschlösschen

The Literature House Heilbronn in Trappenseeschlösschen provides the perfect setting for a focused author encounter. Between historical atmosphere, precise language, and moderated discussion, a literary experience arises that makes Hebel palpable not as a monument but as a present voice. The evening lasts from 7 to 8:30 PM.

Conclusion: Hebel as an unexpectedly modern author

Those who wish to read Johann Peter Hebel anew, understand his human kindness, and discover the political and poetic power of his texts will experience an inspiring literary evening at the Literature House Heilbronn. Thomas Weiß combines biographical narration, work analysis, and cultural discourse into a reading that sustainably changes the perception of a classic. Literature lovers should experience this author encounter live.