On May 23, 2023, the Amerikazentrum organized an online event on Ernest Hemingway as part of the event series Hamburg Reads Burned Books. Hemingway’s work was also subject to censorship by the Nazis. His classic A Farewell to Arms, published in 1929 (translated into German in 1930 as In einem andern Land), is based on his experiences as a volunteer on the Italian front during World War I. This anti-war novel was burned and banned in Germany in 1933.
Dr. Sharon Hamilton from the Hemingway Society and Douglas Cowie focused their discussion on Hemingway’s life, work, political ideology, and the reasons for the 1933 ban on his work. The conversation highlighted the academic, sociopolitical, and cultural expertise of the speakers, guiding the audience through the complexity of the topic with both charm and gravitas.
This event was held in English and was very well received, as reflected by the large and diverse international audience in attendance.
