SAVE THE DATE: “Beckett in Babylon” – 24th to 26th April in Babylon Kino
The Irish Embassy Explores Samuel Beckett’s German Ties
April 17th, 2025
From 24th to 26th April, the Irish Embassy in Berlin is presents "Beckett in Babylon", a three-day event to shed light on Beckett's work and his relationship with Germany.
Samuel Beckett was born in Dublin in 1906. During his youth, he travelled around Europe, visiting France, United Kingdom, Italy and Germany.
Although Beckett spent much of his life in France (especially in Paris), it was his trips to Germany in his 20s that had a huge impact on his work, as evidenced in his posthumous letters written from 1929 to 1959. In fact, it is believed that he got his inspiration for his play "Waiting for Godot" (1952) came from a painting in Germany.
During the WWII, he joined the resistance movements against the Nazi occupation of France; however, his affection for Germany was never compromised by politics.
The program of the event starts on April 24th with the panel "German Fever: Beckett and Germany - a talk by Mark Nixon". This seminar offers an important chance to investigate on how Beckett's works were shaped by German culture. The speaker is Professor Mark Nixon, Professor of Modern Literature and Beckett Studies at the University of Reading, where he is also Co-Director of the Beckett International Foundation.
Later the same day, visitors will have the chance to watch a screening of "If I Fall, Don't Pick Me Up", followed by a Q+A Session with Director Declan Clarke. The film gives an interesting perspective on the relationship between Samuel Beckett and the renowned German theatre director Walter D. Asmus.
On the 25th of April, the program continues with a public discussion between Walter Walter D. Asmus and Mark Nixon. The day will also feature a screenings of Beckett’s Süddeutscher Rundfunk (SDR) works created for German television.
The last day, 26th of April, will be dedicated to the screenings of “He Joe", "Geistertrio" and "…nur noch Gewölk…".
"Beckett in Babylon" offers a compelling program of talks, screenings and discussion, revealing a fascinating exploration of the Irish Nobel Prize winner's relationship with Germany culture and media.
References:
- - https://www.euronews.com/2025/04/04/central-asia-eu-summit-in-samarkand-marks-historic-regional-unity
- - https://www.ireland.ie/en/germany/berlin/news-and-events/news-archive/beckett-in-babylon-berlin/
- - https://samuelbeckettsociety.org/2025/04/13/3-day-celebration-of-beckett-in-berlin-24-26-april/
- - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Beckett
- - http://blog.beckett-gesellschaft.de/becketts-love-for-germany-becketts-love-for-germany/
