"Are You Comfortable?" - on the tenth anniversary of Roger Willemsen's death

To mark the tenth anniversary of Roger Willemsen's death, a book from his estate has been published: Are You Comfortable? On Reading and Books, edited by Insa Wilke. In it, Willemsen reflects on reading - with sparkling irony, an analytical eye and infectious enthusiasm. He pays tribute to great authors, mocks the literary establishment, sets out "10 rules for readers" and ponders fairy tales, obscenity and human rights.

The evening with Maria Schrader and Jens Harzer is a tribute to Willemsen as a passionate advocate for literature - witty, perceptive and deeply humane.

Jens Harzer spent 16 years in Dieter Dorn's ensemble at the Münchner Kammerspiele and the Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel, moved to Thalia Theater Hamburg in 2009 and later worked closely with Johan Simons at Schauspielhaus Bochum. Since autumn 2025 he has been at the Berliner Ensemble. His film work includes collaborations with Michael Verhoeven, Tom Tykwer, Wim Wenders and Hermine Huntgeburth. He has held the Iffland Ring since 2019.

Maria Schrader (born 1965) is an actress, screenwriter and director. She has received the German Film Prize, the Silver Bear at the Berlinale and the German Audiobook Prize, among other awards. She gained international recognition as a director with "Vor der Morgenröte"; for the Netflix miniseries "Unorthodox" she won the 2020 Primetime Emmy for best direction of a miniseries.