Lesefestival "bzw." Tag 1

Readings of short texts in the courtyard of the Brecht House. The event will conclude with music and refreshments.

After completing an apprenticeship as a chef,Maruan Paschen studied at the Swiss Literature Institute in Biel. His novel *Weihnachten* was published in 2018. Among other honors, he received the LCB residency grant from the Berlin Senate’s Department of Culture.

Thị Thanh Thảo Trần studied cultural studies as well as comparative literature and art history. Her short story collection *Wo ich herkomme* was shortlisted for the Young Storyteller Award in 2022. In 2024, she received a working grant from the Berlin Senate, which enabled her to complete her first novel project, *Menschen wie wir*.

Luca Mael Milsch studied literature and works as an author and translator in Berlin. In addition to literary translations from English—most recently *Kinderspiel* by Claire Kilroy—and his own publications of poetry and short prose, Milsch’s debut novel, *Sieben Sekunden Luft*, was published in March 2024. Luca Mael Milsch has been curating and hosting the event series “Vorgemerkt” since 2025.

Ilija Matusko studied sociology and political science. He lives and works as a freelance writer in Berlin. He has received numerous fellowships for his work, including one from the Fritz-Hüser Institute for Literature and Culture of the Working World and a fellowship at Villa Aurora in Los Angeles. In 2023, “Verdunstung in der Randzone” was published. His novel “Jugo” will be published in September 2026.