Lyrik Kabinett

The Lyrik Kabinett is a non-profit poetry foundation and literary centre based in Munich, Germany. It was founded in 1989 by Ursula Haeusgen as a bookshop specialising exclusively in poetry and high-quality artist books, opening in April with a reading by Wolfdietrich Schnurre. The shop was located at Herzog-Rudolf-Straße 6 in central Munich. In 1991 it moved to Maximilianstraße 38, and in 1994 the bookshop closed. Haeusgen then founded the reading society "Lyrik Kabinett" as a non-profit association, donating the shop's stock as the foundation of a poetry library that she continued to expand from her own funds. The association still exists today as the Freundeskreis der Stiftung Lyrik Kabinett e.V. From 1997 to 2004 the poetry library was housed in the rooms of the Institute for Comparative Literature at Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) in Schellingstraße 3, thanks to the support of institute head Hendrik Birus. Most readings also took place there. In 2003 Ursula Haeusgen established the "Stiftung Lyrik Kabinett" as a legally capable foundation under civil law. Its purpose is to promote the knowledge and understanding of poetry in society. In 2004, on a plot provided by LMU, a new library building was constructed, and in spring 2005 the Lyrik Kabinett moved into these premises at Amalienstraße 83a, where events are also held surrounded by contemporary art. Sculptures by Horst Antes, Karl Manfred Rennertz and Lothar Fischer stand outside; inside there is a "Torso" by Fritz Wotruba. The foundation pursues its goals through four core areas: library, events, publications, and education. The library is the second-largest poetry-specialised library in Europe, holding approximately 70,000 media items including German-language and international poetry, numerous artist books, audio and video media, and around 50 subscribed journals. It grows by about 2,000 items per year and is open to everyone. The foundation organises around 45 events per year on international poetry (about 1,300 to date), including readings by contemporary poets from around the world and events on authors from antiquity to the 20th century. About half are author readings, the other half present "living" authors from earlier epochs. German-language and other-language authors are represented in roughly equal proportions; readings by foreign-language authors are usually bilingual. All readings are documented by recordings. For spoken-word art, the forum Poetry in Motion takes place once a month, hosted by Ko Bylanzky. Discussion events such as Das Lyrische Quartett and conferences also take place. In publishing, the foundation issues selected poetic or poetological works in various series: the Edition Lyrik Kabinett bei Hanser at Carl Hanser Verlag (since 2006, two to four poetry volumes per year, many bilingual, edited by Michael Krüger, Holger Pils and Piero Salabè); the bibliophile Blaue Bücher (about 21 volumes to date); the Münchner Reden zur Poesie (founded by Ursula Haeusgen and Frieder von Ammon, edited by Holger Pils and Frieder von Ammon); the Zwiesprachen series (edited by Holger Pils and Ursula Haeusgen, published by Das Wunderhorn); and since 2015 the poetry calendar Zilpzalp, designed by pupils of the Staffelsee-Gymnasium in Murnau. In education, the foundation has run the pedagogical model project Lust auf Lyrik at Munich schools for over a decade, giving pupils creative access to poetry. Management of the Lyrik Kabinett was taken over by Maria Gazzetti from 2012 to the end of 2013, and by Holger Pils from 1 January 2014. Ursula Haeusgen (1942–2021) was the foundation's chair until her death. The Lyrik Kabinett is unique in Germany as a forum devoted exclusively to poetry, and internationally it corresponds to poetry centres such as the French Maisons de la poésie or the National Poetry Library in London. It is supported by a circle of friends.

The Lyrik Kabinett was founded in 1989 by Ursula Haeusgen, a trained businesswoman, as a bookshop specialising exclusively in poetry and high-quality artist books. It opened in April 1989 with a reading by Wolfdietrich Schnurre at Herzog-Rudolf-Straße 6 in central Munich. Haeusgen's motivation was that in ordinary bookshops she had always found poetry only in the back corner and in small selection; with a bookshop only for poetry she wanted to make a statement. Regular readings were held there. In 1991 the shop moved to Maximilianstraße 38, and readings took place there and, in cooperation with other Munich cultural institutions, at various other venues. In 1994 the bookshop closed. Haeusgen founded the reading society "Lyrik Kabinett" as a non-profit association to continue the readings, and donated the bookshop's stock as the foundation of a poetry library, which she continued to expand from her own funds. The association still exists today as the Freundeskreis der Stiftung Lyrik Kabinett e.V. From 1997 to 2004 the poetry library was housed in the rooms of the Institute for Comparative Literature at Ludwig Maximilian University in Schellingstraße 3, made possible by institute head Hendrik Birus. Most readings also took place there. In 2003 Ursula Haeusgen established the "Stiftung Lyrik Kabinett" as a legally capable foundation under civil law. According to its statutes, the foundation's purpose is to promote the knowledge and understanding of poetry in society. In 2004, on a plot provided by LMU, Haeusgen had a new library building constructed, and in spring 2005 the Lyrik Kabinett moved into these premises at Amalienstraße 83a. There, surrounded by works of contemporary art, the events also take place. Sculptures by Horst Antes, Karl Manfred Rennertz and Lothar Fischer stand in front of the building; inside there is, among other works, a "Torso" by Fritz Wotruba. Management of the Lyrik Kabinett was taken over by Maria Gazzetti from 2012 to the end of 2013, and by Holger Pils from 1 January 2014. Ursula Haeusgen died in 2021. The foundation pursues its goals through four core areas: library, events, publications, and education. The library is the second-largest poetry-specialised library in Europe, with currently about 70,000 media items: German-language and international poetry, including numerous high-quality artist books, audio and video media, and around 50 subscribed journals. It is systematically expanded by about 2,000 items per year and is open to everyone; it is accessible through an electronic catalogue and its holdings can also be searched via the catalogue of the Bavarian Library Network. The foundation organises around 45 events per year on international poetry (about 1,300 to date): readings with contemporary poets from around the world and events on authors from antiquity to the 20th century. About half are author readings, the other half present "living" authors from earlier epochs. German-language and other-language authors are represented in roughly equal proportions; readings by foreign-language authors are usually bilingual. Each reading is preceded by a short introduction. For spoken-word art, the forum Poetry in Motion takes place once a month, for which the library rooms are transformed into a lounge landscape with beanbags and disco balls; it is hosted by Ko Bylanzky. All readings are documented by recordings. Discussion events on poetry, such as the series Das Lyrische Quartett, and conferences also take place. Poets who have read at the Lyrik Kabinett include Ilse Aichinger, H. C. Artmann, John Ashbery, Marcel Beyer, Yves Bonnefoy, Ann Cotten, Inger Christensen, Robert Creeley, Bei Dao, Hilde Domin, Durs Grünbein, Robert Gernhardt, Seamus Heaney, Philippe Jaccottet, Friederike Mayröcker, Sarah Kirsch, Michael Lentz, Thomas Kling, Michael Krüger, Les Murray, Cees Nooteboom, Oskar Pastior, Monika Rinck, Raoul Schrott, Charles Simic, Jan Wagner, Derek Walcott, Adam Zagajewski and many others. In publishing, the foundation issues selected poetic or poetological works in various series. The Blaue Bücher appear at irregular intervals (about 21 volumes to date). In the Edition Lyrik Kabinett bei Hanser, published by Carl Hanser Verlag since 2006, two to four poetry volumes appear per year, many of them bilingual; the series is currently edited by Michael Krüger, Holger Pils and Piero Salabè. The Münchner Reden zur Poesie series is devoted to poetological questions and documents the significance of poetry in various areas of contemporary culture; the lectures are held once or twice a year, were founded by Ursula Haeusgen and Frieder von Ammon, and are edited by Holger Pils and Frieder von Ammon. The Zwiesprachen series documents the lively engagement of contemporary poets with the international tradition; it is edited by Holger Pils and Ursula Haeusgen and published by Das Wunderhorn. Since 2015 the poetry calendar Zilpzalp has appeared at the Lyrik Kabinett; the calendar with 24 classical and contemporary poems is designed by pupils of the Staffelsee-Gymnasium in Murnau. In education, the Lyrik Kabinett has successfully run the pedagogical model project Lust auf Lyrik at Munich schools for over a decade, opening pupils a creative access to poetry.

• 2021

  Founder Ursula Haeusgen dies.

• 2015

  The poetry calendar Zilpzalp begins publication.

• 2014

  Holger Pils becomes managing director on 1 January.

• 2012

  Maria Gazzetti takes over management of the Lyrik Kabinett.

• 2006

  The Edition Lyrik Kabinett bei Hanser series begins at Carl Hanser Verlag.

• 2005

  The Lyrik Kabinett moves into the new premises at Amalienstraße 83a in spring.

• 2004

  A new library building is constructed on a plot provided by LMU.

• 2003

  Ursula Haeusgen establishes the "Stiftung Lyrik Kabinett" as a legally capable foundation under civil law.

• 1997

  The poetry library moves into the Institute for Comparative Literature at LMU (Schellingstraße 3), where it remains until 2004.

• 1994

  The bookshop closes; the non-profit reading society "Lyrik Kabinett" is founded, and Haeusgen donates the shop's stock as the basis of a poetry library.

• 1991

  The bookshop moves to Maximilianstraße 38.

• 1989

  Ursula Haeusgen founds the Lyrik Kabinett as a poetry bookshop in Munich; opens in April with a reading by Wolfdietrich Schnurre at Herzog-Rudolf-Straße 6.

A unique German forum devoted exclusively to poetry, comparable to international poetry centres such as the Maisons de la poésie and the National Poetry Library in London.

• Lyrik-Bibliothek

  Europe's second-largest poetry-specialised library, with about 70,000 media items, growing by about 2,000 per year, open to the public.

• Edition Lyrik Kabinett bei Hanser

  Poetry series at Carl Hanser Verlag since 2006, two to four volumes per year, many bilingual; edited by Michael Krüger, Holger Pils and Piero Salabè.

• Blaue Bücher

  Bibliophile publications growing out of the readings, about 21 volumes to date.

• Münchner Reden zur Poesie

  Series on poetological questions, founded by Ursula Haeusgen and Frieder von Ammon, edited by Holger Pils and Frieder von Ammon.

• Zwiesprachen

  Series documenting contemporary poets' engagement with the international tradition, published by Das Wunderhorn.

• Zilpzalp

  Poetry calendar with 24 classical and contemporary poems, designed by pupils of the Staffelsee-Gymnasium in Murnau, published since 2015.

• Poetry in Motion

  Monthly spoken-word forum hosted by Ko Bylanzky, transforming the library into a lounge landscape.

• Lust auf Lyrik

  Pedagogical model project at Munich schools, running for over a decade.

1. 1Home - Stiftung Lyrik Kabinettlyrik-kabinett.de
2. 2Geschichte - Stiftung Lyrik Kabinettlyrik-kabinett.de
3. 3Team - Stiftung Lyrik Kabinettlyrik-kabinett.de
4. 4Stiftung - Stiftung Lyrik Kabinettlyrik-kabinett.de
5. 5Lyrik-Kabinett - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Lyrik Kabinett - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org