Memories
Gürgenc Korkmazel

I first walked through the door of the Goethe-Institut in 2005. Niki Marangou, who passed away in 2013, introduced me to the director of the Goethe-Zentrum at the time, Ute Wörmann-Stylianou.

In 2011, I was involved in the large project Adventures of Remembering, which covered all the countries of the Balkans.

Mile Stojic (Bosnia Herzegovina), Slobodan Snajder (Croatia), Murat Uyurkulak (Turkey) and I, four poets and writers, walked through the cities of Istanbul, Diyarbakir, Mardin and Batman, gave speeches and organised readings. It was a great organisation. For me it was an unforgettable trip and an enriching experience.

In addition, since 2005 I have met poets and writers like Uwe Timm, Ingo Schulze, Julia Franck and Joachim Sartorius through the Goethe-Institut. I have read their books. They have opened new doors in my life.

For that, and everything else I was able to experience, I am indebted to the Goethe-Institut.