The Ukrainian author Zhadan is honored with the Peace Prize. In his moving acceptance speech, he describes what the war changes and makes it clear: “There can be no peace without justice.”
Serhij Zhadan put it in a nutshell in his acceptance speech: “It is sad and significant that we are talking about the Peace Prize while war is raging again in Europe. This war is not far from us.” Shortly before, the Ukrainian writer and musician accepted the venerable award in Frankfurt’s Paulskirche to loud applause.
With moving words, Zhadan, who gives his speech in German, tells of everyday life in times of the Russian war of aggression. It’s about a man looking for a refrigerated truck to take away the bodies that have been lying in the sun for a month – and the selfie taken at the handover for the social media post. Or it’s about the Russian rockets, which Zhadan observes from his Kharkiv apartment on the 18th floor.
But above all, what does the war change? asks the 48-year-old, who is one of the most important voices in contemporary Ukrainian literature. “The feeling for time and the feeling for space. (…) Anyone who finds himself in the space of war makes no plans for the future.” And: “The impossibility of breathing freely and speaking easily is what fundamentally differentiates the reality of war from the reality of peace. But one has to speak. Even in times of war. Especially in times of war.”
Award for work and humanitarian attitude
For more than 70 years, the German Book Trade Association has been awarding the Peace Prize, which after the Second World War was also a signal that Germany was learning its lessons from history. And these days, the jury looking for a prizewinner could hardly avoid Ukraine. Zhadan will be honored “for his outstanding artistic work and for his humanitarian attitude,” the statement said.
“Zhadan inspires us – linguistically, literary, musically,” says the head of the stock exchange association, Karin Schmidt-Friderichs. “We are impressed by his commitment to the people in his home country. He plays in subway stations, gets people out of hard-fought neighborhoods, reads poems to full halls and distributes relief supplies.”
New book published
A few days ago, “Heaven over Kharkiv”, Zhadan’s latest book, which collects his social media posts and reports on surviving in the war, was published. “In the words of the poet, who was always eloquent, one can now feel what war does to people,” says Schmidt-Friderichs. “His literary voice has fallen silent. He continues to write on social media: Documenting. Encouraging. Not literary.” Zhadan himself had stated that he did not want to use war as a literary device.
The diverse artist has been in Frankfurt for a few days. At the book fair he reads poems, is on stage at a music performance and takes part in panel discussions. He finds clear words – for example when he calls for more weapons for Ukraine or explains that culture should not be silent even during the war, because that means “that fear has won.”
Ukraine as “secret guest country” of the Book Fair
There are already voices calling Ukraine the “secret guest country” of this book fair. President Volodymyr Zelenskyj gave a video address on Thursday. On Saturday, his wife, Olena Selenska, came to Frankfurt in person and presented a book project for refugee children.
In his speech, Zhadan also dealt with the question of a quickly concluded peace at any price, which is a “necessity” for so many politicians. He makes it clear – and this is also a central sentence in his speech: “Without justice there is no peace”. The Ukrainians would support their army “because we absolutely want peace”. However, the gentle and discreet form of capitulation offered under the pretext of peace is not the appropriate way.
Sasha Marianna Salzmann, born in 1985 in Volgograd, Russia, will hold the eulogy in the Paulskirche. In it, Zhadan is honored as an important poet and humanist: “Ukrainian society takes a deep breath in Zhadan’s poetry.” His poetry is never hermetic, never self-contained. At the same time, Salzmann, known for plays and novels such as “Everything must be wonderful in the human being,” describes the author’s special language and poetry.
But what happens to the language in times of war? Zhadan reports a sudden inability to use this familiar remedy. This is particularly painful and unbearable “if you were used to trusting the language and relying on its potential, which until now seemed inexhaustible to you.”
Zhadan: Shadow of War leaves deep scars
In addition, war changes memory and fills it with painful experiences and deep trauma. Of course, after Bucha and Izyum, poetry is still possible, even necessary. But the shadow (..) “will leave deep traces in post-war poetry and shape its content and sound”.
Throughout the ceremony, Zhadan appears serious and sad. Only at the very end, when he leaves the stage after minutes of standing ovations, does he manage to smile. Previously, in his speech, he himself impressively described how the war changed people’s expressions: “The view of a person who has looked beyond the visible, looked into the darkness and even recognized something there – this view is forever different. “
And although he reports how the war is changing and damaging language, Zhadan manages to conclude on an optimistic note: “Maybe the language distances itself from you for a moment, but it won’t let you down.” And that is important and crucial. Because: “The voice gives the truth a chance.” (dpa)