Speakers 2025

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Doris Akrap, born in 1974 in Flörsheim (Hessen), journalist and moderator. Head of the society section at taz, previously at Sport-BZ and Jungle World. Recent Book: »Oh! Dalmatien« (Folio 2025). Named one of the Journalists of the Year in 2014 and 2017. At the congress: »Georgia: And What If the Turn Fails?« (talk), Disco (DJ)

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Aron Boks, born in 1997 in Wernigerode (Saxony-Anhalt), author and slam poet. Project manager of the PEN Berlin series »Das wird man ja wohl noch sagen dürfen«. Most recent publication: »Starkstromzeit. Vom Leben in einem Staat, den es nicht mehr gibt« (HarperCollins, 2025) At the congress: audience debate »Is There a Right to Hate?« (roving microphone)

Photo: Tamara Stajner

Paul-Henri Campbell, born in 1982 in Boston/USA, poet. In addition to poetry collections (»nach den narkosen«, »innere organe«), he has published translations, essays and nonfiction, including »Die bunten Kathedralen des Selbst« (2019). Member of the editorial board of the Vienna literary magazine Volltext. At the congress: »What’s Next, America?« (talk)

Photo: ZMO

Dr. Noura Chalati, political scientist working for Reporters Without Borders (Germany). For her thesis »Spying (on) Comrades: The Relations between the East German Stasi and the Syrian Mukhabarat«, she was awarded the DAVO Dissertation Prize 2025. At the congress: »Transnational Repression: Where Power Finds You« (talk)

Photo: Peter Rigaud

Thea Dorn, born in 1970 in Offenbach, studied philosophy in Frankfurt am Main, Vienna and Berlin. Writer and essayist, host of the ZDF programme Das Literarische Quartett. Works include: »Männertreu« (screenplay, 2014), »Die Unglückseligen« (2016), »Trost. Briefe an Max« (2021). Since November 2024 spokesperson of PEN Berlin. At the congress: opening speech

Photo: M. O’Ryan

Katharina Franck, born in 1963 in Düsseldorf, w grew up in Portugal and Brazil and founded the successful band Rainbirds in Berlin in 1986. She later released several solo albums and worked with the band Club der toten Dichter. At the congress: concert

Foto: Niels Freidel

Morten Freidel, born 1983 in Hildesheim, ten years at the Frankfurter Allgemeine; since 2024 deputy editor-in-chief of the Germany edition of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. Book: »So rettet ihr das Klima nicht« (2024). At the congress: »Power, Money, NGO« (discussion)
[instead of Jan Fleischhauer]

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Jenny Friedrich-Freksa, born in 1974 in Berlin, is a journalist and author. Since 2005 she has been editor-in-chief of the magazine Kulturaustausch. Her book »Pferde« was published by Hanser in 2019. She writes, among others, for Die ZEIT. At the congress: »Transnational Repression: Where Power Finds You« (talk)

Photo: G2 Baraniak

Nino Haratischwili, born in Tbilisi in 1983, is a theatre director, playwright and author. In 2024, Haratischwili staged »Penthesilea« at the Deutsches Theater Berlin in a bilingual production. Recent book: »Europa, wach auf! Texte und Reden« (2025) At the congress: »Georgia: And What If the Turn Fails?« (talk)

Photo: Anne Hornischer

Nora Krug, born in Karlsruhe in 1977, illustrator and author living in New York. In 2021 she illustrated a new edition of Timothy Snyder’s »On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century«, has been a poetics lecturer at RPTU, fellow at the American Academy in Berlin. At the congress: »What’s Next, America?« (talk)

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Wolfgang Kubicki, born in 1952 in Braunschweig, lawyer and politician. Member of the German Bundestag (1990–92, 2017–25), Vice President from 2017 to 2025. Member of the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament since 1990. Deputy chairman of the FDP since 2013. At the congress: »Is There a Right to Hate?« (audience discussion)

Photo: Renate Künast/Laurence Chaperon

Renate Künast, born in 1955 in Recklinghausen, lawyer and former politician. Member of the Bundestag (2002–25), Federal Minister for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture (2001–05), chair of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (2000–01), and leader of the parliamentary group (2005–13). At the congress: »Is There a Right to Hate?« (audience discussion)

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Andrea Landfried, born in 1976 in Heidelberg, fully qualified lawyer, trained systemic family therapist, runs her own mediation practice in Heidelberg. Managing director of the purely charitable Landfried Stiftung GmbH. Her debut »Pasteurgasse 4, täglich« was published in 2023. Member of the PEN Berlin board since 2024. At the congress: »Writers in Prison« (presentation)

Photo: Dvaas/Wikipedia

Kristof Magnusson, born in 1976 in Hamburg, is a German-Icelandic writer and translator. He became known through the play »Männerhort«, which was staged on over 120 stages in Germany and abroad and was also adapted for film. At the congress: »Literature Today: Can We Throw It Away?« (discussion)

Photo: Melanie Grande

Helge Malchow, born in 1950 in Bad Freienwalde (Oder), is a German publisher. From 2002 to 2018 he was publisher at Kiepenheuer & Witsch. In 2005 he was named Publisher of the Year and is a co-founder of PEN Berlin. At the congress: »Literature Today: Can We Throw It Away?« (discussion)

Photo:Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Ijoma Mangold, born in 1971 in Heidelberg, is a journalist, literary critic and author. He has worked for Die Zeit since 2009. Works: »Das deutsche Krokodil« (2017), »Der innere Stammtisch« (2020) and »Die orange Pille« (2023). Recipient of the Berliner Preis für Literaturkritik. Since June 2025 member of board of PEN Berlin. At the congress: introduction of the keynote speaker

Photo: Thorsten Wulff

Holger Marcks, born in 1981 in Viernheim, works for the »Network Against Hate on the Net and Disinformation« in the academic sub-project based at the IDZ and serves as editor of the online magazine Machine Against the Rage. Work focuses: right-wing extremism, Islamism and left-wing radicalism. At the congress: »Power, Money, NGO« (discussion)

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Thomas Meany, writer. His reportage and review essays have appeared in Harper’s, the London Review of Books, The New Republic, the Guardian Long Read and The New Yorker. He has taught in Columbia University’s Core Curriculum and at the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Humboldt University. Member of the editorial committee of the New Left Review. At the congress: »What’s Next, America?« (talk)

Photo: Gaby Gerster

Prof. Bascha Mika, born in 1954 in Komprachcice (Poland), journalist and publicist (»Die Feigheit der Frauen«). 1998–2009 editor-in-chief of taz, 2014–20 of the Frankfurter Rundschau. Honorary professor at the Berlin University of the Arts, 2007–14 head of the cultural journalism degree programme. In 2020 she was honoured for her life’s work as one of the Journalists of the Year.
At the congress: day moderator 

Photo: ISHR

Basma Mostafa, born in 1990 in Cairo, multiple award-winning Egyptian investigative journalist, living in exile. Programme Director at the Law and Democracy Support Foundation and spokesperson for the Coalition against Transnational Repression in Germany. At the congress: »Transnational Repression: Where Power Finds You« (talk)

Photo: Andreas Schmidt

Catherine Newmark, born in 1976, is a philosopher and cultural journalist. She works for Zeit-Online and Deutschlandfunk Kultur as editor and presenter of the philosophy programme Sein und Streit. Member of the jury for the Tractatus Prize for philosophical essay writing. At the congress: »Power, Money, NGO« (discussion)

Photo: Toni Härkönen

Sofi Oksanen, born in 1977 in Jyväskylä (Finland) to an Estonian mother and Finnish father, writer (»Stalin’s Cows«, »The Dog Park«) and dramaturge. Her third novel, »Purge«, eceived several international awards. Recent book: »Putins War Against Women«. At the congress: keynote address

Photo: Alena-Schmick

Khuê Pham, born in 1982 in Berlin, is a journalist and writer. She has written for Die Zeit since 2010. She has received both the Reporter Prize and the Helmut Schmidt Prize for her journalism. Recent novel »Brothers and Ghosts«. At the congress: »Literature Today: Can We Throw It Away?« (discussion)

Photo: Christoph Voy

Manja Präkels, born in 1974 in Zehdenick (Brandenburg), playwright, writer (»Als ich mit Hitler Schnapskirschen aß«) and musician (Band »Der Singende Tresen«), recipient of the Anna Seghers Prize. Most recent work: »Welt im Widerhall oder war das eine Plastiktüte?«. At the congress: »Literature Today: Can We Throw It Away?« (discussion)

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Timo Reinfrank, born in 1973, is Executive Director of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, member of board of the Bürgerstiftung Barnim-Uckermark and on the editorial board of the journal Demokratie gegen Menschenfeindlichkeit. At the congress: »Power, Money, NGO« (discussion)

Photo: Ali Ghandtschi

Jayrôme Robinet, born in 1977 in Saint-Saulve (France), is a writer, translator and slam poet. He is head of the PEN Berlin office and a board member of the Netzwerk Freie Literaturszene Berlin. His most recent book is »Sonne in Scherben« (2024). At the congress: »Writers in Prison« (presentation)

Photo: Nassim Rad

Daniela Sepehri, born in 1998 in Paderborn, is a slam poet, journalist and social media consultant. Her book »Im Namen des Stiftes« was published in 2025. She works with the human rights organization Hawar Help and has been a member of the board of PEN Berlin since June 2025. At the congress: »Writers in Prison« (presentation)

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Ulrike Winkelmann, born in 1971 in Wiesbaden, journalist and editor-in-chief of taz, where she has worked since 1999 in various roles, interrupted by stints at Deutschlandfunk and Der Freitag. At the congress: »Power, Money, NGO« (discussion)

Photo: picture alliance/Chromorange/Axel Kammerer

Insa Wilke, born in 1978 in Bremerhaven, is a literary critic and moderator. She writes literary criticism for, among others, the Tagesspiegel, Die Zeit and the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Member of the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize jury (2018–23), most recently as chair. At the congress: »Literature Today: Can We Throw It Away?« (discussion)