15 November 2021

One Person – One Event – One Joy
Opening of the Roger Willemsen Archive with Matthias Brandt, Jürgen Hosemann, Nadia Nashir, Insa Wilke and Julia Wittgens

18 November, Hanseatenweg

Roger Willemsen – author, essayist, film producer and literary scholar – was one of Germany's foremost and best-loved intellectuals. As a television presenter and on stage, he reached a mass audience. His programmes 0137, Willemsen – Das Fernsehgespräch and Willemsens Woche made television history. This Thursday, 18 November 2021, the Akademie der Künste is opening the Roger Willemsen Archive in the Akademie building in Hanseatenweg.

The centrepiece of the event will be a panel discussion between close friends and companions, which will be moderated by Insa Wilke. Drawing on a number of archive items, the actor Matthias Brandt, the editor Jürgen Hosemann, the chairwoman of the Afghan Volunteer Women's Association Nadia Nashir and the director of the Roger Willemsen Foundation Julia Wittgens will talk about their very personal relationships with Roger Willemsen. His involvement in a wide variety of areas, always coupled with empathy for his fellow human beings, has left its indelible mark. Examining his legacy, the panel members will pay tribute to the author, media professional, ambassador of aid projects, music lover and friend. Matthias Brandt will read selected passages from Willemsen's Afghan Journey and The Ends of the World.

For the first time, a showcase exhibition will be presenting unknown documents from Willemsen's extensive estate, including manuscripts, notebooks and photos. They afford insight into the author's working methods, as well as into his work as a presenter. Thanks to the generous support of the S. Fischer Foundation, work on cataloguing his media archive has already begun. The preliminary findings will be made accessible in the Akademie der Künste's archive database.

The official opening of the archive will take place as a benefit event for the Afghan Volunteer Women's Association and the Roger Willemsen Foundation.

Event details
One Person – One Event – One Joy
Roger Willemsen. Archive Opening
Thursday, 18 November 2021, 7 pm
Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg 10, 10557 Berlin
Admission 6/4 €, ticket reservations: 030 200 57-2000; ticket@adk.de
Online tickets: www.adk.de/tickets
Press tickets: reservations available from presse@adk.de and tel. 030 200 57-1514

Please note: Only those who have been vaccinated or who have recovered from a COVID infection (“2G rule”) will be admitted to the event.

For enquiries concerning the Roger Willemsen Archive
Dr Gabriele Radecke, head of the Literature Archive, tel. 030 200 57-3200, radecke@adk.de and literaturarchiv@adk.de 

See also press release of 25 October 2021