The Board
The second regular board of PEN Berlin was elected at the general meeting on November 1, 2024 for a two-year term.
Spokespeople
Thea Dorn, born 1970 in Offenbach am Main, Studied philosophy in Frankfurt am Main, Vienna and Berlin, where she has remained since 1991. Writer and essayist, host of the ZDF programme Das Literarische Quartett. Works include: »Die Hirnkönigin« (1999), »Die deutsche Seele« (with Richard Wagner, 2011), »Männertreu« (Drehbuch, 2014), »Die Unglückseligen« (2016) »Trost. Briefe an Max« (2021). Awards among others: Crime Thriller Prize (2000), German Television Prize (2014), Grimme Prize (2015), Julius Campe Prize (2023). Since November 2024 Spokesperson of PEN Berlin..
Deniz Yücel, born 1973 in Flörsheim (Main), journalist (Jungle World, die tageszeitung, since 2015 Welt) 1 University degree (political science), 3 books (Nautilus, Kiepenheuer & Witsch), 1 pair of prizes, 1 year political prisoner (Turkey), 7 months president of the German PEN (Darmstadt). Since June 2022 Spokesperson of PEN (Berlin).
Board Members
Paul-Henri Campbell, born 1982 in Boston (USA), studied Catholic Theology and Greek Philology. In addition to poetry collections such as »after anesthesia« (2017) or »inner organs« (2022), he has published translations, essays, and non-fiction books – e.g., »Tattoo & Religion. The Colorful Cathedrals of The Self« (2019). He is co-editor of the Viennese literary magazine Volltext. He has received various awards for his work, such as the Bayerischer Kunstförderpreis (2017) or the Alfred Gruber Prize Merano (2022). He lives in Vienna. Since November 2024 board member of PEN Berlin..
Lucy Fricke, born in 1974 in Hamburg, has published six novels to date, most recently the SPIEGEL bestsellers ‘Daughters’, ‘The Diplomat’ and ‘Das Fest’. Her literary work has been awarded the Bavarian Book Prize 2018, the Roswitha Literature Prize 2024 and numerous scholarships, including from the Tarabya Cultural Academy in Istanbul, the International Writing Programme at the University of Iowa and the Villa Kamogawa in Kyoto. In 2010, she founded the Hamburg literature festival HAM.LIT. Lucy Fricke lives in Berlin and is a founding member of PEN Berlin.
Joachim Helfer,born 1964 in Bonn, lives in Berlin. Novelist, editor, essayist, translator. Former online pioneer with Netzeitung. Villa Aurora Scholarship and Prize of the Association of German Industry, amongst others. Three novels and a volume of novellas with Suhrkamp publishing house, also the essay »The World Turns Gay«. Since June 2022 board member of PEN Berlin..
Konstantin Küspert, born 1982 in Regensburg, writes for the theater. His plays can be seen in many German cities and can be ordered from Suhrkamp publishing house. Since June 2022 board member of PEN Berlin..
Andrea Landfried, born 1976, lawyer and trained systemic family therapist. She runs her own mediation practice in Heidelberg. Managing director of the non-profit Landfried Stiftung GmbH, debut at Frankfurter Verlagsanstalt in 2023 with »Pasteurgasse 4, täglich«. She lives with her two children in Heidelberg. Since November 2024 board member of PEN Berlin..
Birgit Schmitz, born 1971, she founded her own publishing house, TOC Publishing, in 2020. She previously worked as an editor and publisher at Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Berlin Verlag and Hoffmann & Campe. She lives in Berlin. Since November 2024 board member of PEN Berlin..
Daniela Sepehri, born 1998, is a poetry slammer, journalist, presenter and social media consultant. She studied history, journalism and communication science at the Free University of Berlin and is particularly active on the topics of feminism, anti-racism, migration and Iran. Her first book ‘Im Namen des Stiftes’ was published in February 2025.
Sophie Sumburane, born 1987 in Potsdam, studied German and African Studies at the University of Leipzig and at the German Literature Institute Leipzig. She received her doctorate in forensic linguistics from the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt. She is the author of several crime novels, writes for various media and is committed to combating racism and right-wing extremism. Current book: »Dead Spots« (Nautilus). Since June 2022 board member of PEN Berlin..
Head of the Coordination Office
Jayrôme C. Robinet, born 1977 in Saint-Saulve (France), is a writer (»My Way From a White Woman To A Young Boy With A Migration Background«) and translator. His latest book: »Sonne in Scherben« (Hanser Berlin, 2024). He received the Berlin Senate scholarship for German-language authors. Until 2021, he was a research assistant in the DFG postgraduate Program at the Berlin University of the Arts. He writes the column “Das Letzte” for the magazine Siegessäule.