Fragments of A Woman

2026-07-22

Fragments of a Woman draws together the artistic craftsmanship of six female authors from Southeastern Europe in a celebration of the European literary scene as a multilayered and diverse formation. The project’s objective is to translate six works, prose and poetry combined, from their original Balkan languages (Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian and Montenegrin) and adapt them into German. Through these literary translations we aim to open an ongoing dialogue about current social issues, such as racism, homophobia and hate against the minorities, which are amplified in Eastern Europe as nationalist tendencies intensify. The decision to construct an all-female programme challenges the apparent disproportion in favour of male authors on the publishing market. By giving voice to female, queer and generally marginalised authors, we aim to widen the European literary diversity and participate in a cultural exchange across borders. Moreover, the translation of these Balkan narratives into German will increase their visibility and accessibility to other big languages and audiences. To achieve this kind of impact, we aim to ensure significant sales, wide international audience and the formation of intercultural collaborations between writers, translators and other cross-media partners. To work towards obtaining these goals, our team of experts in the field of Eastern European literature has developed a cost-effective publicity strategy. We have planned hybrid bilingual book premieres which aim to open a conversation between authors, translators and the general public. An increased social media and print media presence, combined with appearances in book-fairs and various collaborations with visual artists and festivals will target a transnational audience and bring our authors into the limelight. The expected result of our project is to contribute towards an increased interest in Balkan literature abroad and a higher recognition for female and diverse authors.

Germany

2025-12-15