Germany on Campus Presents: The Power of Translation – German American Cultural Exchanges with Lin Hierse & Translator Jon Cho-Polizzi

Photo Courtesy: Lin Hierse and Jon Cho-Polizzi

What brings people to today’s Berlin? What makes them stay? For some, the city is a place of refuge, from war and persecution, bigotry or boredom. For others, it’s the history or the nightlife or the broad green spaces that attract them—or haunt them. A few are just born there. 

This book launch introduces American audiences to Berlin Babel, a collection of 14 short stories by Berliners on what brings people to Berlin and what makes them stay. Newly translated into English, this anthology is the first-ever international anthology of contemporary writing on Berlin. It is presented as part of the annual Germany on Campus series hosted by the University of Pittsburgh’s German Department and sponsored by the German Embassy. This year’s theme is “German-American Relations: Past, Present and Future – The Pittsburgh Story.” 

Building on a tradition of collaboration with the embassy for previous “Germany on Campus” series, the German Department at the University of Pittsburgh presents a “Germany on Campus” program for the Fall of 2026 which entwines the rich historical German roots of Western Pennsylvania with today’s close ties between our region and Germany. Through the regional lens, they aim to highlight an important aspect of our transatlantic relationship: the role close German-American relations have played in generating prosperity for both nations and peace. Hence, the sequence of events is designed to consider how we can build on the post-1945 strength of German-American relations to ensure a mutually beneficial future. To this end, the German Department, in collaboration with the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Programs and the European Studies Center, will present a total of four events and one exhibit.

Berlin Babel presents short stories by writers originating from Syria, Turkey, China, the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Germany, Italy, and India. From Arabic to Italian to Yiddish, the stories are beautifully translated from eight different languages, capturing life in Berlin with all its despairs and joys while uniting a wide range of perspectives. With contributions by Odai Al Zoubi, Carla Berges, Leon Craig, Ulrike Draesner, Linda Farata, FENG Yurui, Lin Hierse, LJ Kessels, Natasha Podlyzhnyak, Nainy Sahani, Jake Schneider, Meral Şimşek, David Wagner, and Jane Yager, Berlin Babel is an anthology designed for all those who already love the city, and for anyone curious to discover it.

This program will be followed by a public reception with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drinks for all artists and attendees.

About the Writer:

Lin Hierse is a prolific author, journalist, poet, and public intellectual, writing in both German and Chinese. With a background in Asian Studies and Human Geography, she is a longtime contributor to several major German journals and periodicals. Her acclaimed autofictional debut novel Wovon wir träumen (What We Dream Of) was published in 2022 and follows the interconnected stories of three generations of women whose lives are ruptured and reunited through the experience of migration and life in the Chinese diaspora. It was followed in 2024 by her sophomore novel Das Verschwinden der Welt (The Disappearing World), a novel that follows the life of an aging tenement building in the outskirts of Shanghai. Hierse is also the author of numerous short stories and poems and edited the biweekly column “Poetical Correctness” in taz from 2020 to 2023. Her writings focus on issues of diversity in Germany, migration and exile, multilingualism, BIPOC feminism, the Chinese diaspora, and the changing political and artistic landscapes of Central Europe. As a young, charismatic public figure whose research spans Europe and East Asia, Hierse provides a critical perspective on an oft-overlooked demographic in a contemporary Germany that is increasingly as oppressive as it is diverse.

About the Translator/Moderator:

Dr. Jon Cho-Polizzi is a Collegiate Fellow and Assistant Professor of German at the University of Michigan. He received his PhD from UC Berkeley in the fields of German and Medieval Studies. His research focuses on contemporary literature, literary translation, migration, poetry, translingualism, and radical diversity in the German-speaking world. Jon is the winner of the 2024 Helen & Kurt Wolff Translator’s Prize. He lives and works between Michigan, California, and Berlin.

About Your Visit: 

The in-house restaurant, Cucina Alfabeto, is open for brunch from 9:30 to 2 p.m. and for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Please visit OpenTable or call 412-435-1111 to make a reservation.