Press release of August 26, 2025
PEN Berlin at the ilb ’25: Solidarity Evening for Ukraine
The Ukrainian journalist and author Victoria Amelina was killed in 2023 in a Russian missile attack. In her memory, PEN Berlin, international literaturfestival berlin, PEN Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Institute invite you to an evening of solidarity.
We will look back at the devastation caused by Russia’s assault on Ukraine, but also at the forces of resistance it has awakened. And, of course, we will look ahead to Ukraine’s prospects for peace in freedom.
Haus der Berliner Festspiele | Große Bühne | Schaperstr. 24
Friday, 19 september | 7:30 pm
Programm: Ticket: 18 € / reduced: 12 € / Solidarity ticket: 28 € / Solidarity ticket reduced: 22 €. With your Solidarity ticket, you support the work of PEN Ukraine. Solidarity tickets can be found in the ticket shop under the menu item Ermäßígung.
Supported by the Friede Springer Foundation.
Programme and Participants
Fotos: T. Darim, A. Fußwinkel/ WDR, Suhrkamp, N. Starnick, J. Weber, Pioneer, J. Fey, N. Sauer, C. Fenzl, Sasha Andrusyk, M. Gawrisch/Welt, Y. Stefanyak
Yevgeniy Breyger [Ukraine *1989] is a poet, translator, and lecturer at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Leonce and Lena Prize in 2019.
Alev Doğan [Germany *1989] is a political journalist and deputy editor-in-chief of »The Pioneer«. She hosts the weekly society podcast »Der 8. Tag«.
Maren Eggert [Germany *1974] is an actress. She has received numerous awards, including the Silver Bear at the Berlinale and the German Film Award.
Vassili Golod [Ukraine *1993] is a foreign correspondent for ARD. He has been head of the ARD studio in Kiev since 2023. Together with Jan Kawelke and Salwa Houmsi, he runs the podcast »Machiavelli − Rap & Politik«.
Yuriy Gurzhy [Ukraine *1975] is an author, DJ, and musician. Together with the writer Wladimir Kaminer, he initiated the legendary Russendisko party series in Berlin.
Wolodymyr Jermolenko [Ukraine *1980] is a philosopher, editor-in-chief of the online platform »UkraineWorld« and head of the political department at Internews Ukraine. He has served as president of PEN Ukraine since 2022.
Tanja Maljartschuk [Ukraine *1983] lives in Vienna. She was awarded the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize in 2018. Her most recent essay collection is »Gleich geht die Geschichte weiter, wir atmen nur aus«.
Katja Petrowskaja [Ukraine *1970] has lived in Berlin since 1999. Her debut novel »Maybe Esther« [tr. Shelley Frisch] was published in 2014. It has been translated into over 30 languages and has received numerous awards.
Paul Ronzheimer [Germany *1985] is a war reporter and deputy editor-in-chief of »Bild«. In 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyi awarded him the Ukrainian Order of Merit, which he declined.
Jörg Thadeusz [Germany *1968] is a journalist, radio and television presenter, and writer. His most recent novel is »Steinhammer«.
Deniz Yücel [Germany *1973] is a journalist at »Welt« and spokesperson for PEN Berlin, winner of the Theodor Wolff Prize. His most recent publication is »Agentterrorist – Eine Geschichte über Freiheit und Freundschaft, Demokratie und Nichtsodemokratie«.
Serhij Zhadan [Ukraine *1974] is the winner of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. He received the Jan Michalski Literature Prize for »Vorošilovgrad«, among others. He lives in Kharkiv and is now a soldier.
A joint event in cooperation with
With the kind support of
