Away from the cameras, but clearly visible to the audience, the author Mara Genschel gave the jury of the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize in Klagenfurt the middle finger. A rare gaffe in the protocol-conscious literary competition. Time for a short conversation at the edge of the stage.
SZ: Ms. Genschel, what was the point of the middle finger in the direction of the jury?
Mara Genschel: I didn’t point the finger at the jury, only at juror Philipp Tingler for his insult. He said it takes a lot more effort to listen to my lines than to write them. Tingler simply does not act on an equal footing with the authors.
The author Mara Genschel read in Klagenfurt with a mock mustache and an American cowboy accent.
(Photo: Gert Eggenberger/dpa)
Is it at all possible for the jury to speak to the readers at eye level in such a competition?
no Not really. The main reason for this is the structure of the competition. The jurors are also concerned with raking in points. That’s why they tactic, the assessments are sharply pointed.
The jury will not decide on the Bachmann Prize until Saturday evening. Aren’t you afraid of harming yourself with such an action?
No, Tingler verbally shows the middle finger, I’m just pointing back.
It is well known that the jury does not proceed with silk gloves. Why did you apply to take part in the competition despite the threat of criticism?
It was a guest appearance for me, an opportunity for a challenge. The jury said a lot of nice things in the last two days, and showed a lot of appreciation for some of the texts. But I wanted to challenge the normative poetics of rules that is implicitly applied here. And I would always advise other, younger authors to do the same: you should make yourself emotionally independent of this whole business.