Alexander Leistner, Manja Präkels, Barbara Thériault: Extremwetterlagen - Reading and Discussion in the "Compass: 8 Visions" Series

"When did we realize we were living in a new country? And how did we know? How do we learn to breathe against the wind that gathers ominously and presses sharp gusts into our lungs?" With these questions in mind, cultural sociologist Alexander Leistner initiated a literary-sociological experiment: supported by the Volkswagen Foundation, "regional writers" Manja Präkels, Tina Pruschmann, and Barbara Thériault traveled through Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia during the 2024 election year, spoke with local people, and documented their observations on the long-evident shifts in the social climate.

The literary reportages collected in the book "Extremwetterlagen" (Verbrecher Verlag, 2025) provide "explanations for how the New Right became so dominant" (taz). Alexander Leistner, Manja Präkels, and Barbara Thériault discuss their findings on this pan-German phenomenon.