In the spring of 2023, the Swiss writer Alain Claude Sulzer, who lives in Basel, submitted an application for funding for his novel project “Genienovelle” to the Literature Committee of the Canton of Basel-Stadt. As usual, a sample text was attached to the application. The letter in which Sulzer was asked to comment on his text sample at the end of May was rather unusual: “In the statement for the attention of the office, we ask you to explain what your thoughts are on the use of the term ‘gypsy’ in the text sample. The dictionary marks the use of the word as discriminatory. Accordingly, the expert committee also asks for an explanation of the relevance of the stereotypical description of the living environment of the young protagonist, in the context of which the term mentioned plays a central role, will have for the overall project.”
Scandal surrounding author Alain Claude Sulzer – Culture
