Editorial

Dear Reader,

“A very serious event resulting in great destruction and change“ – this is how the Cambridge Dictionary defines the term “apocalypse” and the diverse variations of this definition have kept us busy over the course of this semester. While we had two regular British and American seminars which we spent analyzing other people’s books, texts and movies about the apocalypse, we dedicated the hours of a third course to producing something of our own. We were free to decide what shape we wanted our project about the apocalypse to take and – as we are lovers of the written word – we selected the form of a magazine. And what name could this magazine have, if not the end? Our lecturers seem to have had a penchant for this particular subject. But even though they picked the topic for us, we made it our own. We wrote various texts ourselves, but also found great guest authors as well as supporters and partners who ran ads. Additionally, we organized a great launch event to introduce our magazine to the world. By the time you are reading this, our journey towards the apocalypse will have come to an end. It is interesting how a topic as threatening and dark as the apocalypse can inspire such a wide range of creativity as you can find it in this magazine. We offer scientific approaches to the end of the world as well as articles discussing the question of what classifies as a miniature apocalypse. But we will not leave you alone with the idea of the world coming to an end; instead we will help you prepare for the crash of society or at least suggest some music for you to listen to when doom is inevitable. The beautiful and inspiring side of the apocalypse is portrayed by several artistic contributions. While working on this project, I myself realized that there is much more than fire and death to an apocalypse. How people react after the breakdown of society has become a cen­ tral question for me. The different scenarios I have come across during this semester seem to be much more threatening and painful than the outlook on flames and destruction. As you might have deduced, the name of our magazine actually works on two levels. It refers to the end of the world, but at the same time it heralds the end of our master program. This is the last major task we will accomplish as a group, before we all go our own ways by writing our master theses. We are proud of the job we have done here and the things we have achieved as a group. Enjoy the result of our work and draw some inspiration from the contents of this maga­­zine. There is much to contemplate and discuss before the world really ends.

Friederike Schockenhoff

Illustration by Alexander Temming Table of Contents

Non-Fiction The End of the World as We Don’t Know It, Amelie Kißmer...... 4 9/11 – The Millennial Apocalypse, Jana Eggert...... 6 No Wonder the World Is Going to End, Sonia Berges...... 8 Top 5 Apocalyptic Scenarios, Theresa Johns...... 10 Shattered Dreams, Friederike Schockenhoff...... 12

Creative “Never Trust an Angel”, Kerrin Füracker...... 15 Poisoned Postcards, Matthias Gephart ...... 20 Immersed in Dark Themes, Ann-Sophie Toldema...... 22 Thought the World, Ann-Sophie Toldema...... 29 “Now I Am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds”, Sarah Heller...... 30 Do-It-Yourself (Self-made Atomic Weapons), Jan-Hendrik Pelz...... 32 Come, Armageddon! Come!, Dagny Lack...... 36 Between Your Weary Head and the Sea, Caroline Anja Kacperski...... 39 Alexander Temming...... 42 Nikita Kotliar...... 44

Popular Culture The Mirror Western, Michael Dellwing...... 46 The Apocalypse in Michelle Tea’s Black Wave, Nicole Malik...... 50 ELEMENT LOST, Verena Gräfe-Höft and Samuel R. Schultschik...... 52 “Because We’re the Good Guys”, Tanja Ebner...... 56 Essentials You’ll Need for the Apocalypse, Jana Eggert...... 58 “Let’s Do All the Drugs!”, David Fischer...... 60 EZO1, Sven Knüppel...... 62 Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?, Sonia Berges and Amelie Kißmer...... 64 Florent Santoni...... 65

Acknowledgments...... 67 Publishing Details...... 68

The End of the World as We Don’t Know It

By Amelie Kißmer ter­oid in 2023.3 Bennu is this thought it might never work out interesting, because when passing anyway? Wouldn’t we at least want What would happen? What would Earth that close in 118 years, the to give it a try? actually happen if mankind was Earth’s force of gravity could alter Would we still want to make about to be extinguished? And the asteroid’s orbit which might babies? Or just live every day more precisely: What would hap­ eventually lead to a collision with to the fullest? Would beautiful pen if we knew that it was going­ Earth in the late 22nd century. beaches in the Caribbean or South to happen? What would we do? Bennu has a diameter of 500m America be crowded every day? Those questions cannot be an­ and weighs 62 million tons.4 Would there still be pilots who swered properly, it can only be pre­ Despite the fact that its size and flew us to these places? And local sumed how the majority of people weight are probably not big enough bar tenders who would mix us our would act. to destroy the Earth completely, favourite drinks? Or would they These scenarios are worth the asteroid would at least cause a have travelled to the mountains thinking about since we could huge tsunami or create an immense in the meantime instead – to copy some of these ideas and plans crater. Lauretta even states: “It see snow for the first time? And and apply them to our current life. may be destined to cause immense finally learn how to ski and to “Live each day as if it was your suffering and death”.5 snowboard? last”. As cheesy as sayings such Would the economy collapse? as this one sound: If we would Unlikely but Intriguing Would prices rise because only incorporate at least a few things Although none of us will actually a few would continue working? into our day – everyday – that experience Bennu colliding with Would we all become egoists? Or make us entirely happy or of what the Earth, the thought is fas­ci­ would we work together and enjoy we are proud of in the evening, we nating and scary at the same time. the remaining time? could improve our quality of life. What if researchers have failed to Would there ultimately arise a Researchers have discovered notice another asteroid? What if pure sense of togetherness? Would that in the year 2135, so about they just discovered it now and the most important thing finally 118 years from now, an asteroid would announce this immensely unite us? That we are all humans called Bennu will come extremely huge asteroid to hit Earth within living on planet Earth, breathing close to Earth – closer than the the next 12 months? What would the same air. That there simply are moon.1 Passing between Earth and you do? What would everyone do? no boundaries that make us any moon “[t]hat 2135 fly-by is going A scenario such as an ap­ different. to tweak Bennu’s orbit, potentially proaching apocalypse and, there­ Would we live in a utopia or a putting it on course for the fore, the expectation of death in dystopia? Earth later that century,” Dante the near future, though being We do not have to ask ourselves Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal totally sane, might trigger a lot. these questions, because there is investigator claims.2 Lauretta has Wouldn’t we want to be with those no approaching asteroid at the successfully sent the spacecraft we love most? And wouldn’t this moment. We have well-educated OSIRIS-REx in September 2016 lead to unhappy couples breaking researchers. Nonetheless… what towards the asteroid so it can up? Or to go after a person we if they actually knew about one return with a sample of the as­ have loved our whole life but giant asteroid…? Would they

4 Fighting a possible apocalypse with lots of lights and clever quotations: Las Vegas. Photograph by Amelie Kißmer, September 2012. even tell us this much in advance? startet-kracht-asteroid-bennu- Or would an expected chaos lead auf-die-erde-.html>. them to the decision of only 2 qtd. in Molloy, Mark. “Bennu telling us a few days before? Mission: The ‘Armageddon’ As­ Since even the term YOLO teroid That Could Collide with (You Only Live Once) has recently Earth.” The Telegraph. Science. 08 made it into our active vocabulary, Sep. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. we should probably act more often . 3 Molloy, Mark. “Bennu Mission.” 4 Weih, Ulrich. “Kracht Asteroid.” Notes 5 qtd. in Molloy, Mark. “Bennu 1 Weih, Ulrich. “Kracht Asteroid Mission.” Bennu auf die Erde?” T-Online. de. Nachrichten Wissen. 08 Sep. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

Non-Fiction 5 9/11 – The Millennial Apocalypse

How the disastrous events of 2001 have permanently changed the nation

By Jana Eggert buildings, places, or people. This tember morning. The dust in New was an attack on the entire nation York City might have settled, but on Few events of this young millen­­ and its core values. A nation which the memorial site two giant basins nium have burned themselves­ into from then on has had to live in a tracing the former foundations of our collective memory like the strange limbo between post- and the twin towers rep­resent the holes terrorist attacks of 11 September pre-apocalypse, having endured that have been ripped into the 2001. Some­thing shook the globe horror and not knowing if or how coun­try’s consciousness,­ and on the that day and left a loss of inno­ it would strike again. attack’s an­ni­versary enormous light cence in its wake. The people left In a sense, what instils true in­stal­lations paint ghostly figures to die in these planes and build­ fear in humans may not be the of the buildings into thin air. ings certainly experienced their kind of apocalypse that actually Americans have not forgotten own apocalypse as the world came obliterates all life on earth. The and certainly not forgiven, instead crashing down around them with real terror lies in the aftermath, in the ‘War on Terror’ has been overwhelming force and magni­­ having to pick up the pieces of loss raging ever since, claiming its tude. But looking at the bigger and destruction, of losing all sense victims on both sides and driving a picture, it is impossible to deny the of security and belief in a system seemingly relentless wedge between vast impact of what started out that seemed infallible. It was the coun­tries, cultures, religions, and – like a regular Tuesday. It wasn’t famous American optimism that most importantly – people. And the end of the world when these suffered the most in the time it might just be the repercussions four planes hit New York and following 9/11. For while the of that past apocalypse that will Washington. But it was the end of United States had experienced initiate the next. the world as we knew it. hor­ren­dous surprise assaults be­ Perhaps the most shocking re­ fore, such as the attack on Pearl al­isation of that day was that the Harbor in 1941, this one hit United States, the seemingly im­ much closer to home. And while pregnable superpower of the West­ the country was prepared to fend ern world, was vulnerable. And off an attack from the outside, no naturally, if they were, so were the one expected ordinary planes on rest of us. The word ‘terrorism’ was do­mestic flights to be transformed on everyone’s lips, a word filled into massive deadly weapons. with anxiety and horror of the The initial shock at this atroc­ unknown dangers that lay ahead ity quickly transformed into sus­ and possibly already among us. picion and outrage, forming the Despite its global effect, this seed of a highly problematic ‘us was first and foremost an event that versus them’ narrative that is still shook the U.S. to its very foun­ thriving today. So while everyone da­tions. As the New York Times’ has tried to move on from their front page told us the next day, jar and grief, the U.S. has hardly this was not an attack on specific recovered from that fateful Sep­

6 Amerikanistik Universitätsverlag winter Heidelberg

Volume 273 kloeckner, christian knewitz, simone sielke, sabine (Eds.) Volume 274 Knowledge heil, johanna Landscapes Walking North America the Möbius Strip 2016. 305 Seiten, An Inquiry into Knowing in 17 Abbildungen. Richard Powers’s Fiction Geb. € 58,– 2016. xii, 291 Seiten. isbn 978-3-8253-6627-8 Geb. € 58,– Volume 279 isbn 978-3-8253-6490-8 As knowledge has been ickstadt, heinz proclaimed an indispensable Walking the Möbius Strip economic resource, scholarly Aesthetic Innovation locates Richard Powers’s and public discourses in- and the Democratic fi ction at the crossroads creasingly interrogate its es- Principle of postmodern and post- tablished and newly evolving Essays on Twentieth Century postmodern aesthetics and forms and institutions. These American Poetry and Fiction argues that this paradigm discussions frequently focus Edited by shift shapes the models of on North America and its susanne rohr, knowledge and understand- knowledge landscapes, which peter schneck and ing that underwrite his work. retain their crucial position sabine sielke The readings of Plowing the in knowledge distribution 2016. iv, 402 Seiten, Dark, Galatea 2.2, and The despite shifts in global power -95 edleg·Psfc 06 0·Tl 4)6 17 26 a 4)6 17 269 02 Internet http://www.winter-verlag.de · E-mail: [email protected] 21/77 62 60 · Fax (49) 02 21/77 62 40 · Tel. (49) 61 D-69051 Heidelberg · Postfach 10 8 Abbildungen. Echo Maker are inspired by constellations. Geb. € 65,– Jacques Lacan’s image of The contributions to this vol- isbn 978-3-8253-6681-0 cognition as a Möbius strip ume explore the particulari- on which different forms of ties of these knowledge for- This collection of essays by a propositional and non-prop- mations by raising pertinent leading scholar of American ositional knowledge bleed questions: How do North literature and culture demon- into and depend upon one American knowledge institu- strates the impressive scope another. Drawing on feminist tions drive global knowledge and depth of Heinz Ickstadt’s epistemology and psycho- economies—and in which scholarly interventions and analysis, this study highlights ways are they driven by his intense engagement with Powers’s interest in the them? Which agents shape crucial concepts and ques- non-propositional aspects of North American knowledge tions that have preoccupied cognition, that is, in all that landscapes? What condi- the fi eld of American studies escapes the frameworks of tions have been conducive to over the past decades. Mov- scientifi c empiricism and can the emergence of innovative ing from the philosophy of only be known through the knowledges? The authors pragmatism to issues of iden- mediation of fi ctional narra- interrogate the signifi cance tity formation, from aesthetic tive. It reveals a deep dissatis- of local and tacit knowledge; experience to pluralist aes- faction in the novels with the they refl ect on marginalized thetics, and from imaginaries suggestion that knowledge or ‘forgotten’ knowledges as of American modernism to and understanding must be well as on the expertise of strategies of commemora- objective and rational, and literature and the arts; and tion, Ickstadt’s recent work elucidates Powers’s idea that they map the shifting media explores the complexities of fi ction can be a powerful tool ecologies that have affected the agenda of literary and for integrating various kinds concepts of knowledge and cultural studies at large. of knowledge. its circulation.

Non-Fiction 7 No Wonder the World Is Going to End

How climate change has been predictable since The Revelation to Saint John

By Sonia Berges are on the rise . . . [The] Arctic Sea con­tinue[s] to overheat we will see has been decreasing dramatically a variety of impacts – from flooded Climate change is one of the big­ in the past three decades”.2 And cities and more frequent storms, gest threats that earth and its pop­ the list of consequences goes on to scorching heat and raging u­lation are facing. If we do not and on: “Oceans absorb more wildfires. These changes will have change the way we live, we might than 1/4 of all the CO2 pollution secondary impacts, including eco­ not live long anymore. In contrast emitted each year, and this is nomic volatility and even human to other apocalyptic scenarios like changing the very chemistry of conflict”.­ 6 This motif of human zombies or aliens, climate change the oceans . . . More acidic oceans con­flicts, emerging from natural is real and knocks on our door, threaten the very foundation of di­sasters, turns up again in the dressed in a black hood, and with the marine food chain and the bible: “Nation will rise against a scythe in its hand. fisheries that feed more than 3 nation, and kingdom against king­ I was inspired to write this ar­ billion people”.3 Here one can dom. There will be famines and ticle by Leonardo DiCaprio’s new draw a direct line to The Revelation earthquakes in various places”.7 movie Before the Flood, because­ to Saint John. It is said that “every Another parallel is the rise in it made me aware of the great living soul died, even the things tem­per­ature; the heat brought parallels between what the bible that were in the sea”.4 This is, for by God, and our challenge to says the apocalypse looks like and example, easily connected with limit glob­al warming to 2 degrees the way climate change could the pollution of the oceans and Celsius: “[M]en were scorched with bring the world to an end. Climate the following extinction of the great heat: and they blasphemed change is perceived as something species in the sea. Birds, fish and the name of God who hath the relatively new; something that has corals die and the environment power over these plagues”.8 This started in the last twenty years. is thrown off balance. Humans passage is appli­ ­cable to frequent But if one recognizes what the make themselves ill by polluting droughts but also to the heating of bible prophesied and puts it in their environment. And all of this the oceans, the melting of the polar the context of climate change in because of our inexhaustible yaw ice etc. Nevertheless, people use the here and now, one could easily for endless, mostly excessive and up water as if it was a commodity understand the Bible as a guide unnecessary, goods: “[Y]ou have never running dry, even though to the end of the world. Faithful lived on the earth in luxury and in there are already countries that or not, what the bible tells us self-indulgence. You have fattened strug­gle with problems resulting about the apocalypse uncannily your hearts in a day of slaughter”.5 from water shortage like civil wars, correlates with what happens on Moreover, one can say that armed conflicts, diseases and floods earth due to climate change. nat­ural disasters, in some way, are of refugees.9, 10, 11, 12 Not without Climate change is not some­ always human-made. Thus, it il­ rea­son, the term ‘climate refugee’ is thing vague you can dismiss as su­ lus­trates once more how we create made use of more and more. per­stition. 99% of climate sci­en­tists destinies for our own civilization, After all, one does not have to agree that climate change is real and and how we eventually have to take believe in Christianity or God, measurable.1 Just to pro­vide a rough responsibility for the collective but it wouldn’t hurt to keep in idea: “Global surface temperatures choices we make. “[A]s the planet mind how our earth may look like

8 if we sit back and enjoy the ride the-crisis/climate-changing/. 12 C. Schulte von Drach, Markus. on the train to hell. Web. 14 Dec. 2016. “Was der syrische Bürgerkrieg Finally, the one major difference 4 Kirby, Peter. “The Revelation mit dem Klimawandel zu tun is that in the bible the apocalypse to Saint John.” Early Christian hat”. Süddeutsche. 04.03.2015. is brought to the people by God Writings. 2016. www.earlychris­ http://www.sueddeutsche.de/ and is therefore inevitable. This is tianwritings.com/text/revela­ wissen/ausloeser-von-krisen- not the case with climate change, tion-asv.html. Web. 14 Dec. was-der-syrische-buergerkrieg- which is man-made, because we 2016. mit-dem-klimawandel-zu-tun- could not handle the world’s pre­ 5 “James 5:5.” The Holy Bible. hat-1.2377566. Web. 14 Dec. cious resources responsibly, but English Standard Version 2016. greed enticed us to exploit and (ESV). 2016. www.biblegate­ destroy it to the point where it way.com/passage/?search=­ cannot heal itself anymore. The James+5%3A5&version=ESV. only way to save humankind and Web. 14 Dec. 2016. the world we live in is to make a 6 “The Crisis.” Before The Flood. radical change in the way we live, 2016. www.beforetheflood. consume and value things. com/explore/the-crisis/. Web. One can compare our situation 14 Dec. 2016. with a Jeremiad. We are doomed, 7 “Matthew 24:7.” The Holy Bi- standing on the edge of the world’s ble. New International Version imminent downfall, and there is (NIV). 2011. www.biblegate­ little to no hope that we will find way.com/passage/?search=Mat­ a way out. It might sound scary thew+24%3A7&version=NIV. that we ourselves are responsible Web. 14 Dec. 2016. for this massive destruction, but 8 Kirby, Peter. “The Revelation looking on the bright side, it to Saint John.” Early Christian means that there is still hope. If Writings. 2016. www.earlychris­ this catastrophic development is tianwritings.com/text/revela­ man-made, there is still a chance tion-asv.html. Web. 14 Dec. to avert the apocalypse by starting 2016. to change the way we treat this 9 “Krieg um Wasser”. 3sat. world. 25.10.2007, edited 24.08.2010. At last, it is the only one we www.3sat.de/page/?source=/ have. nano/news/114837/index.html. Web. 14 Dec. 2016. 10 “Im Jemen werden Trinkwas­ ser und Lebensmittel knapp”. Notes Welt. 7.04.2015. www.welt. 1 Burkart, Karl. “Top 6 Climate de/videos/video139235440/ Myths.” Before The Flood. 2016. Im-Jemen-werden-Trinkwas­ www.beforetheflood.com/ex­ ser-und-Lebensmittel-knapp. plore/the-deniers/top-climate- html. Web. 14 Dec. 2016. myths/. Web. 14 Dec. 2016. 11 “Umkämpfte syrische Stadt 2 “How is our climate changing.” - Zwei Millionen Menschen Before The Flood. 2016. www. in Aleppo ohne Trinkwasser”. beforetheflood.com/explore/ SpiegelOnline. 10.08.2016. the-crisis/climate-changing/. http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ Web. 14 Dec. 2016. ausland/aleppo-zwei-millionen- 3 “How is our climate changing.” menschen-laut-unicef-ohne- Before The Flood. 2016. www. trinkwasser-a-1106907.html. beforetheflood.com/explore/ Web. 14 Dec. 2016.

Non-Fiction 9 Top 5 Apocalyptic Scenarios

By Theresa Johns

From the eruption of a supervolcano to a pandemic or an alien invasion – many people from different parts of the world believe in apocalyptic scenarios, which bring death and Illustration by Alexander Temming de­struction to the world. However, some of the scenarios are more like­ ly to occur than others… climate change by keeping a global pandemics was the Black Death temperature rise this century in the middle of the 14th century. 1. Climate Change well below 2 degrees Celsius”.2 However, pandemics even oc­ Climate change is one of the most For this reason, the agreement cur nowadays despite modern important issues of our time. obligates 197 countries to reduce med­i­cine such as antibiotics. In Without action, the impacts of their emissions of planet-warming 2003, for instance, SARS was first climate change – such as loss of carbon dioxide. Due to the fact reported in Asia. Due to in­ter­ sea ice, sea level rise, heavy storms that most of the warming of the national travel, the illness quickly and severe droughts – threaten past half-century is caused by spread to numerous countries to catastrophically damage our human activities, such as the worldwide, infecting plenty of world. According to a recent study, burning of fossil fuels, human people. scientists expect the oceans to rise beings from all over the world Although pandemics are ex­ between 0.8 and 2 meters by 2100, have to find solutions in order to treme­ly difficult to predict, re­ which is enough to swamp many protect the world for current and searchers believe that outbreaks cities along the U.S. East Coast.1 future generations – before it is and pandemics will continue to In addition to coastal cities, sea too late. oc­cur in the future. More precisely, level rise could erase some nations they argue that the most likely and islands from the map as well, 2. Pandemic Threat candidate for another pandemic forcing inhabitants to relocate. According to the WHO, a pan­ is a strain of influenza, because flu Despite this gloomy forecast demic can be described as “an is known to mutate all the time.4 and the fact that climate change epi­demic occurring worldwide, How­ever, neither the timing nor already had observable effects on or over a very wide area, crossing the gravity or impact of the next the environment, U.S. president- in­ter­national boundaries and usu­ pandemic can be predicted with elect Donald Trump has vowed to ally affecting a large number of any certainty. cancel last year’s Paris Agreement. people”.3 In the course of human One of the central aims of the history, several pandemics wiped 3. Asteroid/Meteor Impact Paris Agreement is “to strengthen out large numbers of human On February 15, 2013, an asteroid the global response to the threat of beings. One of the most famous exploded in the Earth’s atmosphere

10 over the city of Chelyabinsk, “[a]shfall would cover the Western Dec. 2016, http://unfccc.int/ Russia. Although described as a United States and also enter the jet paris_agreement/items/9485. tiny asteroid by experts, it caused stream with the potential to cripple php. widespread destruction in and air transportation and threat­en the 3 Kelly, Heath. “The classical around the city; its impact shat­ world’s food supply”.8 Scientists definition of a pandemic is not tered glass and injured about believe that another super-erup­ elusive.” Bulletin of the World 1,000 people. However, what tion will happen someday – how­ Health Organization. 2011. should humanity expect if a larger ever, nobody can predict when. Web. 10 Dec. 2016, http:// asteroid hit planet Earth directly? www.who.int/bulletin/vol­ Researchers argue that an impact 5. Alien Invasion umes/89/7/11-088815/en/. by an object larger than about 5 From Independence Day to The War 4 Woolf, Nicky. “Ebola isn’t the kilometers is damaging enough to of the Worlds – there are numerous big one. So what is? And are we cause mass extinction, but NASA movies dealing with aliens who ready for it?” theguardian. 03 knows of no major asteroid or are trying to occupy the Earth in Oct. 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2016, comet currently on a collision order to destroy or enslave human https://www.theguardian.com/ course with planet Earth.5 For this beings and exploit resources. world/2014/oct/03/-sp-ebola- reason, the chances of a collision While many people laugh about outbreak-risk-global-pandemic- with fatal consequences are quite this scenario, the theoretical phys­ next. small. i­cist and cosmologist Stephen 5 “The Probability of Collisions Hawking warns that the search for with Earth.” NASA: Jet Propul- 4. Supervolcano extraterrestrial intelligence could sion Laboratory. California Insti- On May 18, 1980, a major lead to problems, as researchers tute of Technology. Web. 10 Dec. volcanic eruption occurred at have no idea how aliens might 2016, http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/ Mount St. Helens in Washington respond to contact from human sl9/back2.html. State, USA. According to volca­­ civilization. What if aliens are dan­ 6 Bagley, Mary. “Mount St. Helens nol­ogists, this eruption was the ger­ous and more advanced than Eruption: Facts & Information.” most destructive in U.S. history: we are? According to Hawking, an LiveScience. 28 Feb. 2013. Web. fifty-seven people died, numerous advanced alien civilization would 10 Dec. 2016, http://www. homes and roads were destroyed have no problem wiping out livescience.com/27553-mount- and one cubic kilometer of ash the human race, “[m]eeting an st-helens-eruption.html. was expelled, which affected the advanced civilization could be like 7 Sealy, Amanda. “How a super­ en­vi­ronment in a negative way.6 Native Americans encountering volcano can threaten Earth.” The effects indicate that the Columbus – that didn’t turn out CNN. 30 Aug. 2012. Web. 10 Mount St. Helens eruption was so well”.9 Then again: Would Dec. 2016, http://edition.cnn. disastrous, but what would hap­ advanced extraterrestrial intel­ li­­ com/2012/08/30/us/wus-super­ pen if a supervolcano, such as the gence not already know that hu­ volcanoes-yellowstone/. Yellowstone Supervolcano, erupted? man beings exist on Earth? 8 Sealy, Amanda. “How a super­ Scientists claim that the first volcano can threaten Earth.” Yellowstone eruption 2.1 million CNN. years ago was at least 25,000 times 9 Bowerman, Mary. “Stephen larger than the Mount St. Helens Notes Hawking: If aliens call, we eruption in 1980.7 This implies 1 “Sea Level Rise: Ocean Levels should be ‘wary of answering’.” that a super-eruption nowa­­days Are Getting Higher – Can We USA Today. 23 Sept. 2016. would change life on Earth forever. Do Anything About It?” Na- Web. 10 Dec. 2016, http:// In addition to the initial eruption, tional Geographic. Web. 10 Dec. www.usatoday.com/story/tech/ which would cause death and 2016, http://ocean.nationalgeo­ nation-now/2016/09/23/ste­ destruction, showers of ash would graphic.com/ocean/critical-is­ phen-hawking-aliens-wary-an­ kill and sicken human beings sues-sea-level-rise/. swering-back-intelli­ and animals, reduce sunlight, 2 “The Paris Agreement.” United gent-life/90895018/. contaminate water supplies and Nations: Framework Convention kill crops and other vegetation, and On Climate Change. Web. 10

Non-Fiction 11 Shattered Dreams

A small apocalypse

By Friederike Schockenhoff apocalypse. But this cemetery re­ somebody who had always hoped minded me that the end can also to live a life like a hippie: A life A Jewish cemetery or another kind come tiptoeing into your life. The without a lot of material goods and of memorial – that’s what I saw in end to everything a person or a money, but with time for dreams the group of stones when I first saw family planned does not have to and ideas and the possibility to take them at Inselpark in Hamburg- come with a big bang – nevertheless every chance which presents itself. Wilhelmsburg. Although they look it can smash your life into pieces But now this person had to come to like tombstones, no one is buried like a meteorite the earth in several terms with the fact that there is not there. But that does not mean that action movies. I was close to tears much room in this world for hippies there is no tragedy in the stories the when I read one inscription about anymore and this way of living does stony memorials tell. What is buried having a café with somebody “as not work. Or he or she needed mon­ at the nice green spot at Inselpark long as it is possible”. This sentence ey for something very urgent and are the ideas and dreams of people. does not give much information, was forced to leave the bridges. Those people come and tell their but for me it was enough to feel the The insight that there is no way story to artist Mark Wehrmann who tragedy behind the words. I imagine to reach certain goals and that they, developed the idea of the unusual people, a couple maybe, who always thus, should be buried also brings memorial. And if he believes it to had shared the dream of this café. the fact that your life has changed be appropriate for the cemetery, the And now something so intimidating and has become something totally story gets its own tombstone. had come into their lifes that they different from what you expected This en­­counter with Wehr­ believed it to be no longer possible it to be. The rain of fire does not mann’s art project made me think to fulfill their old dream. Another come from the sky but from within. of the different forms of apocalypse. dream which was filed away with a That it is only an apocalypse in your Fire from the sky, big explosions, gravestone is to sleep under bridges world does not make it less painful. and death are the things that come and “be open for everything”. To to mind when one hears the word me, this sounds like the story of

Photograph by Friederike Schockenhoff

12

Photograph and Copyright by Krafft Angerer.

14 “Never Trust an Angel.”

Turning visions of the end into individual myths in Angels in America. An interview with Matthias Günther, dramaturge at Thalia Theater, Hamburg.

By Kerrin Füracker caused by the destruction of the years before the millennium. Our ozone layer. The play, however, production took a fresh look at the AIDS! Despite the availability of also offers visions of coping and play in an effort to review what had modern medical treatment and healing when Prior, in the face of changed in these thirty years. growing hope for even better cures his deadly disease, communicates Today, one year after our to be developed, those four letters with ghosts of his ancestors, or production premiered, the easily evoke fear even today. In the when Harper imagines the ozone play is gaining new relevance 1980s, shortly after the disease had layer being mended by rising dead again – because of the American been diagnosed for the first time, souls connecting with each other. presidential elections. Already the it was almost inevitably lethal. In Angels in America was staged former president Ronald Reagan, those years, AIDS was regarded at Thalia Theater, Hamburg, from being an actor, was an expert in not only as the severe disease that autumn 2015 to January 2017 in self-staging. When he was elected it is, but also as a threat to public a production directed by Bastian in the 1980s, in a time of crisis, health and even to society as a Kraft. In the following interview, the American nation called out to whole. Matthias Günther, the Thalia the ‘professional’ of the Western AIDS and the human, social dramaturge responsible for this films. In Angels, the character of and political reactions it provoked production, will shed light on Roy Cohn is also such a cold- are also themes that Tony Kushner’s how the play maps out theatrical blooded ‘professional’. Angels in America (1993) revolves ways of coping with existential around. Set in New York City crises, turning apocalyptic visions Donald Trump was advised by in the mid 1980s, the complex into individual myths. the real Roy Cohn in the 1970s… plot of the highly acclaimed play Roy Cohn was Trump’s lawyer examines how AIDS intrudes into KERRIN FÜRACKER: Mr. Günther, and also the most important the lives of several of its characters is a play about AIDS written in powerbroker pulling strings for and raises questions of individual the 1990s and set in the 1980s the Republican Party. In the and social moral failure. still relevant today? dark years of the anti-communist The hysterical perception of MATTHIAS GÜNTHER: Angels persecutions in the 1950s, Cohn AIDS as a modern plague in the has a universal validity and has was Joseph McCarthy’s right 1980s reinforced already existing to be disentangled from the mere hand. That’s where Cohn’s rise apocalyptic visions that were perspective on AIDS. The play began. – When Trump took up inspired by the approaching mil­ discusses disease as such. What the real estate business, he had len­nium. The play reflects such happens to a couple when one a problem: How could he get visions, for instance when an angel partner gets fatally ill? How do obnoxious tenants to move out of appearing to Prior, a young gay man both partners cope with this? his property? Roy Cohn was the suffering from AIDS, announces Also, when we staged Angels perfect lawyer for this purpose. an “Apocalypse Descending“ in 2015, Bastian Kraft had an That’s a ‘nice’ anecdote adding to and a “last dreadful daybreak”, interesting thought: We were the current relevance of the play: which “bears all life away”, or fifteen years past the millennium, The new president of the United when another character, Harper, and 1985, the time at which States has been well acquainted hallucinates about an apocalypse the play is set, had been fifteen with Roy Cohn.

Creative 15 Kushner wanted to make polit­ fundamentally challenged during recognizes that his disease is lethal, ical theater. the AIDS crisis. For Bible-believing he can only assign meaning to it by Kushner’s approach to the political America, AIDS was, as Ronald including his death into a greater is based on a profound analysis Reagan said, a “punishment from narrative. He connects his personal of American society. Having read God”. In this respect, the 1980s story with a larger history in his Brecht, he uses different genres to were an apocalyptic decade. private mythological approach, represent this society: the mystery We usually connect apocalypse which enables him to communicate play, for instance, or the journey with a certain biblical text about a with the past. His story is still a into the middle ages, when Prior vision of horror that goes beyond private apocalypse, but it gains a meets his ancestors. There, Kushner our imagination. The Jewry is greater dimension. follows something that Brecht does subject to apocalyptic ordeal again In a tragic situation like Prior’s, in epic theater: creating situations of and again in the bible. To be one might turn to a shelter like estrangement, singling something exposed to the apocalypse and to religion, yet in times of tran­scen­ out of a specific, well-formulated endure it, that is really a lot. Being dental homelessness, this becomes flow of narration into situations of Jewish himself, Kushner, however, complicated. One has to develop disturbance. does not refer to the bible. Instead, different strategies and that’s what he shows us some­thing that is of Prior does. The staging at Thalia Theater central importance when we are Which visions does he create? seems to have taken on this in a crisis: creating an individual What are the angel’s visions that Brechtian idea of estrangement mythology. Prior, the protagonist of are revealed to him? Angels are by further transforming it. Angels, develops such a mythology, highly suspect figures. Never Yes, there is a connection. Bastian which reads like the prayer book of trust an angel. To me, Prior is a Kraft studied at the University the moribund man. He experiences transcendentally homeless char­­ac­­ter of Gießen – which is committed a personal apocalyptic situation in a secular world that has gone very to tracing Brecht’s theory and because he is suffering from AIDS. far in its strategies, concretizations, adapting it to our time. It has As a reaction to his impending and its encounters, also sexually. In heavily influenced Kraft and that death, he con­nects with mythic this secular world with its vast space becomes visible in his staging: He figures from among his ancestors, of possibilities, Prior has to invent transforms Kushner’s well-made play in particular those taken away by something new: new metaphysics by mirroring and video mediation. plagues in the past. He converses or a new religion, or whatever. – He The characters appear in another with them as peers. What can embarks on a strategy of vertically dimension while the spec­tators you do in situations of doom, of integrating himself into history and become commentators because apocalypse? You can spur hope he encounters what he needs in the they can observe the characters in through a new mythology. This is past, namely his ancestors afflicted this double perspective. what Kushner makes Prior reenact. by the plague. And hope, that’s the disconcerting Angels in America is undoubt­ ­ outcome, is in fact an apocalyptic You referred to the notion of edly a very rich, multi-faceted vision. Now-time that was coined by play. In your view, to which ex­ Walter Benjamin in his Theses on tent does it also reflect vi­sions Does this mean that the apoc­ the Philosophy of History. Would of an end of time, of the apoc­ alyptic vision necessarily in­ you think that history and in alypse? cludes something positive? particular the idea of looking Sentiments of an end of time The idea of establishing a new back into history, which may be looming large persisted in the mythology predominantly means epitomized by the character of 1980s and also got a grip on a vertical anchoring in the history the angel, is a central facet of counter cultures such as the of mankind. If I am alone with the play? gay and lesbian movements. a lethal illness in my Now-time, Yes, history has a central meaning. Alternative culture always means it makes no sense; I am simply We do need history. We need its dancing on a volcano: Everything dying. There is nothing worse stories to validate ourselves. And can perish very quickly. All those than realizing that one’s life has here Kushner also shows to theater emancipatory ways of life were been meaningless. So when Prior what it can do: bringing to life texts

16 Photograph and Copyright by Krafft Angerer. by authors from the most different visions, but also utopian ele­ facing AIDS or natural disasters, times, so that we, as the audience, ments? when everything seems to be ending. can communicate with them. That’s The play allows for different inter­ In such a situation, Prior’s idea can a central part of theater’s beauty and pretations. The question arises as to provide a possibility to turn this end meaning, and of its attraction. It how the apocalypse is to be judged – into something different. is also what Prior experiences: His as something that is per se negative, Right now, we are facing the ancestors are characters like him, but the description of a doomed world? deepest crisis since a long time, from very different times, in fact, Or is the apoc­alypse inherent in all com­­plete perplexity. We don’t they are just himself. However, he societies? Societies can come to an know yet what kind of apoc­alypse needs to communicate with history end, so we ask ourselves: Does the is approaching. Angels encourages to understand his own present. apocalypse and does describing us to ask new questions here: That’s what theater is about. it with relish bear the kernel for a What happens in times of utmost completely new beginning? That’s perplexity? In what can we Would you say that Angels does a hint I’m interested in. This can trust? Those questions are already not only include apocalyptic­ happen in a state of apocalypse, engrained in the play and that is

Creative 17 why it is so rele­vant­ again, inter­ ­est­ Matthias Günther was born ingly even more now than one year in Kassel in 1963. He studied ago when our production began. cultural studies and aesthetic During­ this year so much has practice at the University of changed. Germany and the world Hildesheim where he was also a have completely changed within a research assistant at the Institute year. for Media and Theater Studies. He worked as a dramaturge at One central question that Kush­ Schauspielhaus Wien, Salzburg ner seems to raise is: In which Festival, Schauspielhaus Zürich, kind of society do we want to Theater Basel, and, from 2006 to live? He may also give some 2015, at Münchner Kammerspiele. answers to that, but maybe He joined Thalia Theater in 2015 this doesn’t help us with the Matthias Günther, and has worked on a number of problem of the apocalypse… Photograph by Thalia Theater plays there, including Richard III, It does. That’s the essential question­ Die Dreigroschenoper, Das Schloss, we always have to ask and which and of course, Engel in Amerika. Kushner raises, too: In which kind You need allies. And if you do not of society do we want to live? And find them in the Now-time, in the (The interview was conducted how could it happen that we are present, then you need other texts. in German and translated into living the way we are living now? It’s the same in religions where English.) Kushner asks these questions ‘the word’ is invoked that has been while always slightly looking back. passed on for numerous genera­ Take Louis, Prior’s partner, as an tions. It helps when I can say his­ example. Kushner shows that his tory is on my side. In the present Jewish upbringing has a special there is a crisis. But crisis means the meaning, as we can see at the opportunity to turn the current sit­ beginning in the funeral scene. We uation into a new, creative one and repeatedly observe the attempt to to come to a new idea of life, of a give meaning and depth to a society felicitous life. To escape from such or to its communities through the life crises, it helps to look back into means of religion. By showing history and to find communication small private stories, Kushner partners there. That’s what theater creates greater reverberation rooms can accomplish, among others, be­ covering a deeper story. cause it can transform the written I am interested in apocalypses language of authors from all times first and foremost because of into a direct dialogue with a speak­ their mythic quality. I group their ing, mediating actor. Prior craves, narratives within mythology. This searches and invokes exactly this. adds another dimension to the How does he overcome the biblical text, another possibility to crisis? The visions he has are apoc­ interpret it in theater. The biblical alyptic visions and to him their text can also be of great importance deeper meaning lies in creating his in a secular context – as prose. own mythology – Prior’s in­di­vidual mythology. Prior tries to affiliate So, in the face of apocalypse, or with a myth, very individually. crisis in general, looking back How suitable this myth will be for into history and creating new others, history will show. myths can offer a chance to overcome the situation, to cope Mr. Günther, let me thank you with it? very much for the conversation.

18 HH_Anz_Studentenmagazin_12_2016_DINA4_rennbahn_HH 09.12.16 16:08 Seite 1

Derby-Meeting 2017

30. Juni – 5. Juli

RENNTAGE 2017

Freitag, 30. Juni 2017 Beginn 16.00 Uhr Montag, 3. Juli 2017 Beginn 17.00 Uhr Hamburger Stuten-Preis Franz Günther von Gaertner-Gedächtnisrennen Das große Examen der jungen Pferdedamen – Erstes Zusammentreffen junger und älterer Stuten – – Renntag der Sportvereine in Hamburg – Dienstag, 4. Juli 2017 Beginn 17.00 Uhr Sonnabend, 1. Juli 2017 Beginn 11.00 Uhr Hamburg-Cup – Das neue Rennen über zwei Kilometer – pferdewetten.de Großer Hansa-Preis Alpine-Motorenöl-Seejagdrennen Elitepferde kämpfen um 70.000 Euro – Das große Spektakel- Pferde schwimmen um den Sieg – – Deutsch - Japanischer Renntag – Mittwoch, 5. Juli 2017 Beginn 17.00 Uhr Sonntag, 2. Juli 2017 Beginn 11.30 Uhr Ein Finale voller Abwechslung IDEE 148. Deutsches Derby Hamburger-Flieger-Preis - Das Rennen der Sprinter – Das Rennen des Jahres - Rennpreis 650.000 Euro – Langer Hamburger - Ausdauer ist Trumpf

Ticket-Hotline: 040 651 82 81 www.galopp-hamburg.de Follow us on: #derbyhh Poisoned Postcards

Memories from unseen places

By Matthias Gephart were proofing a stranger’s vision. I 2003. Originally from the Ruhr was alienated, but decided to doc­ area and based in Berlin since 2007, Someone kept sending me post­ ument the phenomenon, started Disturbanity is known for unusual cards from unknown places, cards scanning the front sides and threw freelance artwork as well as for depicting locations you would away the original cards. For some graphic activism, both handmade not encounter in a tourist guide. years, this became a private pleasure: and digital. The monograph RARE They seemed to have made a long I had these images­ in a folder SHOTS ON PLANET X, 416 long way before ending up in my and sometimes even wondered pages of works from 1988 to 2015, letterbox. Their surfaces were dam­ why I kept them. When I finally was released by the highly-reputed aged, the cardboard musty and decided to confide in someone, I art book publisher Verlag Kettler scratched. No text had been written was encouraged to showcase these and awarded by New York’s art & on the backside of the postcards, pictures. Here they are. design journal Creative Quarterly. no sender was ascertainable, the www.disturbanity.com stamp was destroyed. Disturbanity Graphics is Matthias The pictures seemed to be con­ Gephart’s illustration lab and nected to someone’s memory or graphic-design studio, founded in

20 Creative 21 Immersed in Dark Themes

When post-apocalyptic poetry inspires academic research, and academic research inspires post-apocalyptic poetry

By Ann-Sophie Toldema the significance it carries of the apocalypse­ in the U.S., for the cultural imagination particularly how current political It all began with a revelation. in the United States. You have events are interpreted as signs Learning that the “Apocalypse” presented papers on the topic, of the end in very interesting, would be the overarching theme taught classes, and, in 2012, creative, and also troubling ways. for us during the winter triggered you published a monograph Learning about this work, for the all kinds of ideas for me. My on American post-apocalyptic New York Times the non-fiction journey started with inspiring poetry. In your study you ask bestseller of the 1970s, and the way pre­pa­ratory reading, led me to questions of how American it was part of this larger cultural an insightful­ interview with an poetry after 1945 responds imaginary of the apocalypse impressive scholar… and the rest, to historical cataclysms and with a great significance for the well, the rest is poetry. traumas – an endeavor not for national self-image of the U.S. the faint of heart, if I may say dating back to the first settlement, ANN-SOPHIE TOLDEMA: First so. Writing on dark themes can was certainly one trigger for the of all, I would like to thank be extraordinarily demanding, project, just wanting to learn more you very much for agreeing to I would assume. Would you care about this. In addition, I was asking take part in this interview on (and dare) to comment on your myself how that might play out in American (post-)apocalyptic initial fascination regarding contemporary literary contexts, imagination, your thought- your PhD project? Would you particularly beyond fiction, on provoking research thereof, agree that darkness almost which a lot of work had been done and the creative urges I simply always carries a heightened already. could not suppress after level of relevance and therefore So, secondly, I always had a delving into both. needs to be “illuminated”? special preference for poetry, and RENÉ DIETRICH: Actually, the Yes, the “darkness” of the topic in my reading of contemporary, pleasure is all mine. It is a real treat probably was an initial point or post-1945 poetry, I often found to have my work appreciated in of attraction and, admittedly, myself encountering a sense of this way and to talk about it in this something that came back to loss, of something missing, even if context, and I feel honored to be haunt me a number of times when it remained unclear what was lost part of such an exciting project. So working on the PhD thesis that was exactly, how this loss occurred, thank you a lot for inviting me to finally to become the monograph. I of what scope this loss was. One this! guess, there were two initial points of the questions that started my of interest that started me onto my project was, then, what if one In the course of your aca­ project. One was reading about Hal reads such an expression of loss, dem­ic career you have en­ Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet of mourning, of some unspecified gaged yourself extensively Earth from 1970, which is really disaster that has already struck and with the American (post-) a key text when it comes to the left behind ruins and remains, not apoc­alyptic narrative and post-W W II popular imagination just psychologically, an expression

22 of some inner conflict (as is often annihilation, Vietnam War – that engage such a historically and done with poetry), but sees it I felt the topic weighing down on psychologically “dark” theme as as somehow reflecting a greater me. And when I wondered why the post-apocalyptic in poetry (or historical sensibility? What if I was feeling a little depressed at another form), it can be especially this fascination with an end that times, I realized, well, that might rewarding if your analysis leads is about to occur in the popular be because I am just reading you to a point that does illuminate apocalyptic imagination in the a lot about some of the most something, not only about the U.S. is connected to this pervasive horrifying moments in modern conditions of historical ruins sense in a number of post-1945 human history and how people characterizing many post-1945 U.S. poets, that an “end” of some continue to be affected by them scenarios, but also something sort has already taken place, that on a personal as well as a collective about a way out of being absorbed one writes from a moment of the level. And I thought: Why would or paralyzed by such a scenario aftermath, no longer anticipating I do that, why would anyone in of trauma, cataclysms, and the end in a sense, but remembering their right mind do that, choose ruins – without abrogating one’s it somewhat paradoxically – a PhD topic that demands that? responsibility to the past. which also, of course, implies But what always pulled me back, many complications for processes in a good way, was getting deep Your research on American and representations of memory into the texts themselves. Because post-apocalyptic poetry is conventionally based more in a post-apocalyptic poetry, as I read in­­trinsically tied to the rel­ sense of continuity than rupture. it, does not only portray in various atively­ young academic disci­ ­ And since I could find very ways the devastating effects of such pline of Memory Studies, an little about such a perspective histories, or comments on the innovative field which ac­ on post-1945 American poetry, destructive impact of investing into com­modates literary studies’ although poetry arguably plays an apocalyptic belief system that is opening up to cultural contexts. a huge role for the Romantic able to disregard the present for a This interview will be released modern apocalyptic imagination vision of history culminating in as part of a magazine on 20 when you think of figures such as some great end point in the future. January 2017 – a day worth Blake, Whitman, but also Eliot or In addition, it offers alternative men­tioning with regard to US- W.C. Williams, I hoped that such perspectives on notions of the American collective memory. work could also produce a new take end, on renewal, rupture, remains, The inauguration of the 45th on contemporary American poetry. and, maybe most importantly, on President of the United States I wanted to see whether I could complex continuities that challenge of America marks the end of a develop a persuasive narrative which any simple end/renewal narrative period of time that once again pointed out both the continuities central to apocalyptic thought. fueled the apocalyptic imagi­­ and the changes of a post-1945 post- What I probably ultimately found nation. Would you agree that apocalyptic imagination in U.S. satisfying about my work was this presidential campaign il­lus­ poetry to the more prominently drawing out this perspective on the trated how powerful the apoc­ discussed apocalyptic traditions end beyond apathetic mourning alyptic narrative is to this day? in Romantic or modernist poetry. and mindless erasure of the past, a Yes, certainly. There’s a lot to go And these considerations quickly perspective that to me spoke to the into, so I will try to limit myself to a led me down the road of trauma question of an ethics of living (as few points. First of all, one might studies, memory studies, and Merwin put it in one poem: “how say that Trump ran basically a scholarship on poetry in relation should I live?”) in awareness of campaign steeped in apocalyptic to history in more general terms, navigating these traumatic histories paradigms, with a rhetoric of us vs. which, fortunately, added to my we have to remain responsible to them heightened to good vs. evil, project, instead of repudiating it. in order to imagine alternative with the portrayal of the present However, I must admit, there possible futures. as so catastrophic that only he were moments during my research, So, finally, I wouldn’t necessarily could act as the savior to America, especially when reading on the say that darkness “carries a height­ and with the promise of renewing historical contexts of relevance for ened level of relevance.” How­ America once more while, at my topic – Holocaust, Nuclear ever, I do believe that when you the same time, projecting some

Creative 23 great end point to history itself or critically interrogating, Trump better future in apocalyptic in the future; also begging the and Trumpism calls for not being narratives? question, when will America be drawn into the dualistic and Yes, truth is a very central and great again, when is that moment absolutist apocalyptic logic that thorny issue, for apocalyptic of “greatness” reached, and what has supported his rise to power, thought and a post-apocalyptic can be sacrificed in pursuit of but to pay close attention to what imag­ination engaging with it in such an alleged ideal. And, maybe is happening within, and to the some way, often via revision or that is a sign of the rift in U.S. form and discourse of politics critique. I do think that to talk about society he managed to exploit, under his administration, not only the apocalyptic meaningfully, and deepen, and profit from, or it is an as it concerns the decision over not just as a term interchangeable indication of how Trump during political issues but as it extends with disaster or catastrophe, means the campaign managed to erode to changes of what is admissible to take the revelatory element political discourse itself, but in the political arena as such, seriously. In an event imagined the other side regularly simply considering the anti-democratic as, conceived as, or remembered repeated this gesture, or mirrored and authoritarian tendencies one as “apocalyptic,” something­ is it. So, you end up having the term can already witness. And based revealed, some truth is unveiled. In of “Trumpocalypse,” you have on that, it is imperative, again more classic apocalyptic narratives, Hillary Clinton telling reporters in for people within the U.S. but this might be the difference a New York Times editorial, half- possibly also beyond that, to find between good and evil, in more ironically, “As I’ve told people, ways to critically engage these skeptical narratives the realization […] I’m the last thing standing developments, time and again, of humanity’s compromised nature between you and the apocalypse” in very specific terms, depending as such, or the thin veneer of (which made it to the headline on what the occasion calls for – civilization. And I would argue that of the article), and you have a including opposition and resis­ in the texts I considered, in which number of people commenting tance on all levels. So, yes, I the post-apocalyptic implies both on election night as an experience think the campaign has shown a positioning after the end and similar to the end of the world. the significance of the apocalyptic a revising of central tenets of the And while I fully sympathize narrative to the present-day U.S., apocalyptic imagination, this idea with that, and can relate to the but also the danger of letting of revelation itself, of some abso­­ ­lute necessity of expressing such an forms of political discourse and truth being revealed, is challenged. absolute opposition to the idea, opposition be absorbed by such Also, I would argue that these and the coming reality, of a Trump an apocalyptic paradigm, and writers sharply critique the overall presidency, I think the campaign made clear the damage this can do destructive effects of an investment also has shown how much can to political discourse and realities, in an absolute truth in the name of be obscured through such an and the necessity to pay attention which all dissenting voices can be apocalyptic rhetoric of absolutes, to it, call attention to it, and to silenced, metaphorically or literally. namely the specifics of political resist being captured by it. And I realize I am saying this in a principles, policies, and every-day moment in which the phenom­ business, on the one hand, and, While preparing for this enon of “post-truth” makes the on the other, what specifically interview I could not help but term of “truth” even more charged is at stake for people affected in think about one particular than it already was before, so I will their every-day lives, both within concept again and again – say this: The result of critiquing the U.S., and arguably around the concept of “truth.” If we absolute truths being revealed the world, by a presidency now consider that transformations in a moment of cataclysm is not forming under Trump. In such an inevitably occur once religious cynicism, but the invitation, or apocalyptically fueled campaign, thought is transferred to sec­ the demand to attend to the multi­­ one could clearly see the lack of u­larized contexts, what does plicities of the every-day world we such a discussion, and now, post- this mean for the evoca­ ­tion of inhabit, and not to let it be reduced election, I think it is vital to refocus an imminent end of the world? according to some dominant on these specifics, within the U.S. Is “truth” revealed? And there­ nar­ra­tive of truth, because this but also beyond that. Resisting, fore can there be hope for a discursive reduction can ultimately

24 Photograph by Ann-Sophie Toldema have actual dam­ag­ing effects. sees the progress of history as a at least the way I investigated it I would say, then, the hope for piling on of ruins but cannot do through these poetic texts. And a better future in forms of (post-) anything to stop it, and as such I would venture that all of the apocalyptic representations lies not has been called the historian re- authors I looked at were engaged in so much in their capacity to reveal imagined as witness. I find this some way – at least during a certain “truth,” but to, again, point out the notion of witnessing crucial to phase of their work – in the attempt possibilities to imagine alternative post-apocalyptic poetry, but, at to work through the complexities of futures that are invested in different the same time, I hold close to the such a perspective, and to address paradigms than the apocalyptic thought that this implies an agency the question what demands these (“destroy to renew”) or the one- that is not solely predetermined difficulties place on poetry, and dimensionally post-apocalyptic by the forces of historical trauma, in doing so found very different (“re­main paralyzed in loss”). In as in “The Angel of History.” The answers to it, or formulated new the book, I am often returning need to move forwards while questions in response to it. And to Walter Benjamin’s figure “The remaining responsible to what one diligently following these lines of Angel of History” from his “Theses would see if one looked backwards, struggle, teasing them out through on the Philosophy of History,” a is, I think, as close to an idea of a thorough analysis, was probably figure that in looking backwards truth, or imperative, that the post- what, in the end, was at the heart and being propelled forwards, apocalyptic imagination gets at, of the work for me.

Creative 25 In Revising and Remembering there are always “Remains.” And my choice for the second poem (after) the End: American Post- second, what “Remains” is also would be Carolyn Forché’s “The Apocalyptic Poetry since 1945 all that remains of this one line. Testimony of Light” which con­ from Ginsberg to Forché (2012) The arguably standard feature of cludes The Angel of History(1994), you analyze a multitude of enjambment in free verse poetry her volume of a “poetry of witness” poems which are responding is used here to create the effect (a term she coined herself in to some of the most horrific of “Remains” being fragmented, another context) on the lasting aspects of 20th-Century his­ disconnected, in the very form of effects and reverberations of 20th tory. I certainly would not dare utterance. Granted, a simple poetic century historical traumas in a to ask you for your favorite device, but very effective, and just post-cold war era. “The Testimony post-apocalyptic poem but I one example of how much post- of Light” is set the morning after will ask you this: Would you apocalyptic poetry uses the page the detonation of the atomic bomb name a post-apocalyptic poem itself, in very different ways, to in Hiroshima, and it implies that that you (after presumably create a version of post-apocalyptic this moment of utter devastation, reading it with your nerves) consciousness. And the second way depicting “where the world had consider to be particularly in which the poem is powerful, been,” extends over time to in­ powerful and would you briefly and paradigmatic, is how it links clude our present moment, sug­ illustrate why? post-apocalyptic aftermath to an gesting that we still live within That’s a good question, and a apocalyptic ideology of unchecked the shockwaves, the rippling after- difficult choice. I think I’ll name progressivism. The Americans effects of this explosion. two, and not just as an academic fighting in Vietnam (and this The poem is notable how it, cop-out to the question, but should be read with more poetic as much of her poetry, includes also because I think they are license than simply referring to other sources within the poetic representative of what I read as U.S. soldiers in particular) are text (in this case by Jay Lifton, two phases of post-apocalyptic portrayed as “possessors” who the psychiatrist who documented poetry, from 1945-70s, and from “move everywhere under Death his experiences with Hiroshima the 1980-2000s. their star” and finally are pictured survivors, and by cultural theorist My first choice would then as “They with no past/and fire Peter Schwenger). Again, this is be Merwin’s “The Asians Dying” their only future.” U.S. military a standard postmodern device from The Lice(1970), which is aggression in Vietnam is captured of intertextuality, but the way it arguably also the quintessential as a desire to possess and expand is employed – integrating other post-apocalyptic volume of poetry as a manifestation of progress, only sources into the text, but also of this generation of writers. The that the destruction wrought in representing them as an intrusion poem renders the Vietnam War the name of such unconditional into the text, set apart by italic as a post-apocalyptic scenario in progress (“with no past”) erases font, acting as a form of displaced, which war is literally wrought the future for the “possessors” dislocated commentary – suggests upon the world so that it is only themselves, so that within such a a ghostly presence of these texts in inhabited still by ghosts and the world­view fire becomes the only the post-apocalyptic aftermath, as dead themselves, and made up of future imaginable, a fire that if these are fragments and traces smoke, ashes, poison. I think it is is already burning in Vietnam, wrested from a moment of utter powerful in two ways, particularly. leaving behind smoke, ash, and destruction affecting the textual One way is how the depiction ghosts. archive itself. Another prominent of a post-apocalyptic scenario is One change I noted with what feature is the imagery, which embodied through its form. For could be called a second generation departs from Merwin’s mythical instance, consider these lines: “The of post-1945 post-apocalyptic categories in that its depiction blood vanishes into the poisoned poets was the desire to address of a post-apocalyptic scenario is farmlands / Pain the horizon / history more directly, not through haunting, particularly through Remains.” First of all, it indicates mythical imagery, or individual its precision (“With bones put how in a post-apocalyptic scenario, perspective indicative of greater into rice bowls. / While the baby nothing completely vanishes historical awareness (as in Mark crawled over its dead mother even when it becomes invisible, Strand, for instance). That’s why seeking milk.”), a precision that

26 both captures the sense of a “life- in a moment, in which “the worst” of the ordinary, and I look very in-death” (Lifton’s term) and has happened, yet it also continues much forward to reading it! foregoes the generalizing quality of as a presence of mass-death that some trauma discourse by showing can always be still to come. And finally: Would ice suffice? specific instances that indicate how And what connects these two Hmm, when we talk about Ice-nine some irreversible threshold has poems, is that they call attention from Kurt Vonnegut’s Cats-Cradle, been crossed: also the life-giving to apocalyptic narratives operating absolutely. And in reference to image of a mother’s milk is now within a cycle of repetition, while Frost (and looking back at 2016, laced with trauma having gone ostensibly gesturing towards a good riddance!, as an indicator of through an apocalyptic rupture. teleology that promises the End our current historical moment), I Finally, the poem also makes of history. Within such narrative think, unfortunately, yes to that, a case against central tenets of patterns, the event imagined, or too. Thinking ahead, though, it is the apocalyptic imagination, yet desired, as apocalyptic, as revelation safe to say that at the end of the differently from Merwin. When it and renewal, always frustrates (as world nearest to us (and already concludes: “The way back is lost, James Berger states) because it upon us when this interview is the one obsession. / The worst is leaves behind traces and remains, pub­lished), that is on January 20th, over. / The worst is yet to come,” it and thus has to be sought for and 2017, ice will not suffice at all, I’ll makes clear the utter irreversibility repeated again and again, arguably definitely want to have some vodka of this moment for the history on a greater scale, to finally be with it. So, here’s to that. of the world, and the history of that great End in which history imagining the end of the world, is to culminate. And the cultural Thank you very much! without suggesting something of a work I see in much of post-apoc­ clean slate in the aftermath of it, alyptic poetry is to consider ways Dr. René Dietrich is a post-doc­ which is of course a staple for much of disruptions to this cycle of apoc­ toral researcher at the Obama of apocalyptic representation. The alyptic progressivism feeding on Institute for Transnational Amer­ paradox that the worst is over and itself, to find particular sites within i­can Studies, Johannes Guten­ yet to come acknowledges that poetic discourse and imagination berg-University Mainz, where his the event of nuclear annihilation where it can be interrupted so current project on “Biopolitics and can be thought of as the “worst” that one, again, can find ways to Native American Life Writing” is without failing to consider the imagine other, alternative future funded by the German Research after-effects of it, both literal and possibilities. Foundation. He has published more figurative, as causing damage the monograph Revising and on the same scale. It also negates When I first contacted you re­ Remembering (after) the End: the idea that with the detonation of gard­ing this interview I hinted American Post-Apocalyptic Poetry the nuclear bomb, at least one has at the possibility of me writing since 1945 from Ginsberg to Forché the certainty that nothing worse a post-apocalyptic poem that (Wiss. Verlag Trier 2012), as well can happen, that this can have a explores the personal dimension as several essays on the (post-) cleansing element for humanity of the end due to the inspira­ tion­ apocalyptic in culture, literature, finally aware of its capabilities I felt after researching your and film. Having studied at to end the world (or almost all academic contributions.­ What Freiburg University and Whitman life on earth). Instead, the poem are your thoughts on this? College, WA, he received his points out the continuities of I must say that this is probably PhD from Giessen University and such a moment extending into one of the most rewarding forms was recently a visiting scholar at our present, suggesting that such of appreciation one can receive for the University of California, Los a moment which could end the one’s work in literary studies, and Angeles. For his not-quite post- world has become part of the world one that I had not even imagined. apocalyptic piece of fiction “Leben itself. It reaches out across time to Writing on other writers, I have Weg” he has received the Paula our present, affecting everything, not once considered the possibility Rombach-Literaturpreis from the whether we are aware of it or not. that my work would inspire a University of Freiburg. The poem, and much of Forché’s future post-apocalyptic poem. work reminds us that we are living So, this is quite amazing and out

Creative 27 Photograph by Ann-Sophie Toldema

28 Thought the World

By Ann-Sophie Toldema

Forever and three days – this I did see, one yours, one mine, one ours – what was to be. A triad so in harmony, that were to change – life’s rhythm – endlessly. Hence neither prone to ice nor fire, a world devoid of the word ‘dire.’ Providing ease as main endeavor, a letter ending in – ‘as ever.’ Yet then – so very suddenly, it was destroyed – eternity. Not simply sore the storm was then – that dragged us – from our brittle den. The perfect cadence left no doubt, too definitive its shout. The End! The End! The End! it plainly said, the patent of my heart – just left for dead. To know what is at stake, being unbearably awake, a single day would do, for I always thought the world – of you.

Creative 29 “Now I Am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds.”

By Sarah Heller test, Enrico Fermi, Oppenheimer’s sessing atomic weapons, which advisor, conducted calculations, could have changed the course of The first atomic bomb detonated concluding that the atmosphere World War II tremendously, the in New Mexico, USA on July was in no real danger. US government activated its own 16, 1945. The so-called Trinity Initially, the United States researches on nuclear weapons test marked the beginning of a Army developed the bomb to and started the Manhattan Project new era. Scientists – including protect the world from the Nazi in 1942. It was the codename Robert Oppenheimer – had been regime. In 1938, years before the given for the secret research and speculating about the possibility Trinity test, German scientists dis­ development project on nuclear that the atmosphere could explode covered nuclear fission bringing weapons with its laboratories as a result of the detonation, in the world one step closer to the situated in Los Alamos, New which case all life would have invention of an atomic bomb. Mexico. Robert Oppenheimer, been destroyed. Just before the For fear of fascist Germany pos­ appointed director of the Los

Photograph by Berlyn B. Brixner

30 Alamos Laboratory, brought all bombs finally served the purpose nuclear weapons worldwide. 180 leading scientists together to work to stop war and supposedly of them stationed in Europe, on the atomic bomb, while living achieve peace. However, what had one is 13 times more powerful in a secret and remote area. been invented as an instrument than the Hiroshima bomb. This The atomic bomb is considered of peace, would eventually bring means in consequence that today, the most terrifying weapon of mass the world one step closer to a total 180 cities in Europe could be destruction; its fireball is hotter apocalypse. totally destroyed within few than the surface of the sun, its 20 years after the Trinity seconds by nuclear weapons, blast waves reaches a speed of over test, Robert Oppenheimer, who causing a destruction 13 times one thousand kilometers per hour became known as the father of more terrifying than the bomb in and nuclear radiation is being the atomic bomb, was interviewed Hiroshima. released. Secretly developed and as contemporary witness for In 1947, members of The tested, the U.S. War Department’s the television documentary The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists and military’s decision to drop Decision to Drop the Bomb. He invented the Doomsday Clock. It atomic bombs on Japan unleashed was questioned how he felt during is a symbolic clock that represents the nuclear age. The bomb “Little the detonation of the first atomic a countdown to a possible Boy”, dropped on Hiroshima on bomb and he replied: apocalypse which could be caused, August 6, 1945, exploded 500 “We knew the world would among others, by the threats meters above the target, because not be the same. A few people of nuclear war or by climate according to calculations, the laughed, a few people cried, most catastrophes. Not by accident, biggest devastation of the city people were silent. I remembered the clock was originally conceived would be caused if exploded in the line from the Hindu scripture, by exactly those atomic scientists the air. Within nine seconds, the Bhagavad-Gita; Vishnu is who had been involved in the approximately 70.000 out of trying to persuade the Prince that Manhattan Project. The concept is 76.000 buildings were destroyed he should do his duty and, to clear: the closer the minute hand is by the blast wave; around 70.000 impress him, takes on his multi- to midnight, the closer the board people died immediately; the heat armed form and says, ‘Now I am believes the world is to disaster. of the fireball reached over one become death, the destroyer of The last time the Doomsday million degrees Celsius, which worlds.’ I suppose we all thought Clock was unveiled was on burned silhouettes in house that, one way or another.”1 January 26, 2016, showing: walls and let the skin of people In the following years of the IT IS 3 MINUTES TO MID­ vaporize. It has been estimated Cold War, 80.000 nuclear weapons NIGHT! that about 160.000 people died in were produced by several nations total until 1946, including those in order to intimidate potential victims who died in the aftermath enemies. Since the Trinity test, of radioactive contamination and nine nations have detonated 2.055 Notes injuries caused by the explosion. nuclear test explosions at dozens of 1 “The Day After Trinity (1981) The same man-made disaster took test sites from China, to Nevada, [Full Documentary]”. YouTube. place only three days later with to Algeria, to western Australia YouTube, LLC, 28. July 2016. the citizens of Nagasaki on August across Russia, and elsewhere. Web. 14. December 2016. 9, 1945. Until today, there are The most powerful hydro-bomb “Leschs Kosmos: Albtraum people dying from cancer as long- has 4.000 times the force of the Atombombe - 70 Jahre und kein term effects of nuclear radiation bomb of Hiroshima and the Ende? [HD]”. YouTube.YouTube, caused by the explosions of atomic nuclear arms race has brought the LLC, 23. July 2016. Web. 14. bombings on Hiroshima and world repeatedly on the edge of a December 2016. Nagasaki. nuclear war. Officially, there had At first glance, the bombings been reports about 20 situations, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki might where the USA and Russia nearly have looked like a military success got into a nuclear war. Even in since World War II had officially times of denuclearization, there ended. The invention of atomic are still approximately 16.000

Creative 31 Do-It-Yourself (Self-made Atomic Weapons)

Trinitites, Objects, 2016

By Jan-Hendrik Pelz Trinitite owes its name to the a possible vision of future develop­ Trinity test, which was the code­ ments in a very exaggerated manner. The series “Do-It-Yourself (Self­ name for this particular first nuclear Behind the façade of scurrility and made Atomic Weapons)” includes test as part of the Manhattan Proj­ gallows humor hides a definite several objects that would cause a ect. The Trinity test marks the seriousness which is justified by com­minution of Trinitites, if the beginning of a new era – the nuclear present age. objects were put into action. age. Therefore,­ Trinitite as a material Trinitite is an artificial substance is a contemporary­ testimony which Jan-Hendrik Pelz’s works are which was created during the first is directly related to the beginning mainly situated in the field of oil detonation of a nuclear weapon on of this new era. The possibility painting. Many of his works take 16th July 1945 in White Sands/ to destroy humankind multiple on the medium itself or put the New Mexico, USA. It is made times posed by the current amount medium to the test. Pelz‘s artistic from the ground material of the of existing nuclear weapons, position moves across borders test area, where the extremely emphasizes the dimensions and between media, whereby painting high temperatures caused by the consequences of this development. and conceptual approaches are fused explosion melted the desert sand “Self-made Weapons” cynically with performative elements. Among to form a green glassy substance. includes all these references and the key starting points of his work Therefore, Trinitite is neither rock thereby restores them to conscious­ are the search for strategies to unveil nor glass since it is not a naturally ness. The objects of “Self-made new ways of image composition, the occurring solid object. Weapons” relate indirectly­ to the engage­ment of the artist as creator, 10 grams of Trinitite contain historical devel­op­ment of nuclear as well as heteronymous influences about 0,37 microgram plutonium- weapons and their consequences. on the artistic process. The themes 239. The radiation level is not Thus, they si­mul­ta­neously present in the field of performance and particularly dangerous as long as video art revolve around social there is no direct body contact. processes, the integration of urban However, Trinitite can be space as well as its residents, the extremely harmful if its micropar­­ employment of familiar formulas ti­cles enter the human body. Even and their alienation as well as the 1 microgram of plutonium-239 examination of the self with regard can be lethal. As soon as Trinitite to the observer’s reflections. Work is pul­ver­ized and spread in the air, on individual series and bodies of it poses an immense risk to health works, some of which are created as its radio­activity can be absorbed in collaboration with a team, often quickly by the human body through extends over a long period of time. respiration. www.jan-pelz.de

32 Creative 33 34 Creative 35 Come, Armageddon! Come!

By Dagny Lack 4) The Clash – Four Horsemen 10) Foals – Spanish Sahara And they gave us the grapes that Forget the horror here, forget the Music has always helped us to over­ went ripe in the sun horror here come even the greatest of miseries. That loosen the screws at the back Leave it all down here If songs have the power to elicit of the tongue It’s future rust and it’s future dust euphoria, cure heartaches, alleviate But we still told nothing ‘bout grief, revive memories and ease the what was to come 11) The Jesus And Mary Chain – tediousness of daily life, then they Four horsemen Darklands are surely also vital for surviving And I awake from my dreams the apocalypse. And when the end 5) Cocorosie – Armageddon to a scary world of screams approaches, you better be pre­ Let’s all gather at Time Square And heaven I think pared! Here are twenty tunes that And let’s all say a prayer Is too close to hell will definitely put you in the right To Walter Disney and Mike Tyson mood for doomsday: At Madison Square Garden 12) Joy Division – Day Of The Lords 1) Arcade Fire – Afterlife 6) Creedence Clearwater Where will it end? Where will it And after all this time Revival – Bad Moon Rising end? And after all the ambulances go I see a bad moon a-rising And after all the hangers-on are I see trouble on the way 13) The National – Sin-Eaters done I see earthquakes and lightnin’ Save my young white neck, it ain’t Hanging on to the dead lights I see bad times today my fault Of the afterglow 7) The Doors – The End 14) Morrissey – Everyday Is 2) Blue Öyster Cult – Can you picture what will be, Like Sunday (Don’t Fear) The Reaper so limitless and free Armageddon, come Armageddon! All our times have come Desperately in need of some Come, Armageddon! Come! Here but now they’re gone stranger’s hand Seasons don’t fear the reaper In a desperate land 15) Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Nor do the wind, the sun or the – Higgs Boson Blues rain, we can be like they are 8) Editors – An End Has A Start Ah, well here comes Lucifer with You came on your own, that’s how his canon law 3) Bob Dylan – Knockin’ On you’ll leave And a hundred black babies Heaven’s Door With hope in your hands and air running from his genocidal jaw Mama I can hear that thunder to breathe roar 16) Pixies – Monkey Gone To Echoing down from God’s distant 9) Eels – End Times Heaven shore I don’t feel nothing now, not even If man is five, if man is five, if I can hear him calling for my soul fear man is five I feel like I’m knockin’ on heaven’s Now that end times are here Then the devil is six, then the door devil is six

36 Photograph by Nicole Malik

The devil is six, the devil is six and 19) Siouxsie And The Banshees Is your desire for apocalyptic if the devil is six – Cities In Dust anthems still unfulfilled? Did we Then God is seven, then God is Water was running; children were forget your favourite doomsday- seven, then God is seven running track? Then check out the full You were running out of time playlist on Spotify and add more 17) R.E.M. – It’s The End Under the mountain, a golden songs! Of The World As We Know It fountain (And I Feel Fine) Were you praying at the Lares Account: Apocalypse2017 That’s great, it starts with an shrine? Playlist: The End Is Near earthquake But oh your city lies in dust, my Birds and snakes, and aeroplanes friend And Lenny Bruce is not afraid 20) Soundgarden – Black Hole 18) Radiohead – How To Sun Disappear Completely In my shoes, a walking sleep Strobe lights and blown speakers And my youth I pray to keep Fireworks and hurricanes Heaven send hell away I’m not here No one sings like you anymore This isn’t happening

Creative 37

Between Your Weary Head and the Sea

A post-apocalyptic short story

By Caroline Anja Kacperski join you on your way up, then. It’s their suicide spots that much now­ always better with someone there, a­days. I guess, if you choose to do “So, are you here to jump?” even if it’s a stranger.” it, it’s easier to go with friends or “I think … I might?” Arjan Arjan starts nodding back, but family instead of driving all the isn’t entirely sure yet, the what-ifs he quickly feels like one of those way out here to do it.” of his situation are still unclear, bobble headed dogs in the back Arjan looks up, surprised. “I since he came here on a whim, the windows of old cars. He forces would have thought that someone alcohol – such an expensive hobby himself to stop, to swallow and who works in a place like this nowadays – almost out of his sys­ take the man in. He’s kind of hot. would see the point in doing tem, and hey, anyway, he’s kind of He can’t be older than forty, with something special to end it? Don’t well off. His family has money. He a full beard and closely shaved you support the broadcasts?” can afford to check this place out head, spectacles low on his wide “Well, yeah, sure.” He sounds and then return some other day, nose. It wouldn’t be so bad to have placating, calming, and it’s unlike most. Suicide is a choice him there. It would have been already grinding on every one offered to all, but only a few have better with Louis, but that isn’t an of Arjan’s gears. “But don’t you the means to do it the right way, to option anymore. Out of his little think that some things are better go out a spectacle. A lot of people booth he’s towering over Arjan, enjoyed when you know you’ll picked trains, back when those and Arjan hadn’t thought he could have another day to talk about were still running, to really make a still feel attraction to anyone, but it? I understand why people want nuisance of themselves. Nowadays well. This is the end of the world. to go out in a beautiful place, it’s mostly pills for the poor. His biology is running along to the but wouldn’t you want to take a The counselor nods, checks clock of the planet, and that clock picture? Tell your family you went something off in the paperwork. is ticking faster, faster, faster – and lived to talk about this place, “You didn’t bring anyone?” He “Bad break-up?” tell them how beautiful it is?” The keeps nodding, and Arjan would Arjan laughs. The assumption counselor speaks with conviction, assume it a nervous gesture if is so sudden, and so on point, but but not without bitterness. the man didn’t look like some how could this stranger possibly “Oh!” Arjan realizes, “Oh, eccentric philosopher in the back know who he is and where he has damn, you are one of those asshats of a paperback, thoughtful but come from. who think that humanity should kind, and kind of dusty. Arjan “We used to get a lot of sad save itself! God, you guys piss me shakes his head, throat dry. lovers, here. This isn’t really a lover’s off!” But he’s laughing, sort of. The witnessing will be done by leap,” the counselor explains, “but Considering how much more fun cameras. The counselor hums, it is plenty cinematic. I guess that’s taking the jump is going to be with takes another note, nods to him­ why we get so many people who this guy around. Motivated by self before looking up. His eyes just come to look around, enjoy spite to his last day. Louis would are a piercing light green in his the view while it is still a view. have a coronary, Louis would pull dark face, and it’s startling. “I’ll People aren’t shopping around for at his own hair until it stood up

Illustration by Alexander Temming

Creative 39 in all directions, and Louis would Standing there, cliffs stretched My mother used to, but she said argue with him; they would argue behind him and the ocean behind people stopped because of rashes, until Arjan could feel something those, he seems a fixture in this and then because of the simulators. again. place that is comparable to the I think I’d like to try? I don’t think “Besides,” and Arjan knows cliffs themselves. He’s already the simulators compare; at least he sounds resentful and that this older than most, but in this place she said she didn’t think they do. guy doesn’t deserve this. Arjan he looks like he has always been But she had trouble remembering has never been anything but a pit here, like he will remain long after what the world used to look like, bull in an argument and his jaw the rocks are gone. Arjan knows towards the end. She always said is already tightly clenched onto this is bullshit, that this guy will that change came too quickly. this one. “Besides, it’s not like this die along with all of them in the ‘Son, yesterday we were living in place is going to last. What’s the next few years as the resources run caves, and today we are shaping point in talking about it when it is out, while the rocks will hold out the planet.’ She’d laugh about it, already eroding?” only a little longer before giving like it was a joke. Like that, like They are almost up the steep in to the acidic sea water, but, we didn’t fuck it up for everyone.” part of the path, and Arjan can see well. He’s considering going down Arjan throws him a look, be­ the cliff’s edge is not far now. He’s the suicide cliffs, so reasonable cause so far the counselor had been gasping a little, and he will blame thought cannot be expected of soft spoken, even-keeled. “Do you that on the climb. The counselor him. blame her?” Arjan asks him, who says nothing for a painful few “I’m not ashamed,” is what he is standing companionably by his strides as they work to reach the ends up saying, like an idiot, after side. There is no wind up here. top, speeding up with steps that opening and closing his mouth a He would have expected wind to grow longer and longer, until he few times. “I’m just done.” whip his hair into his eyes, but is ahead of Arjan, leading him. “Ok then.” right now, nothing is moving. Leading him on. Arjan continues on, past the The counselor stands on the edge, “I wasn’t sure I was going to Counselor and his outstretched closer to it than Arjan had dared, do it today, you know?” Arjan arms, and it feels like walking into like he’s stood there often and yells, out of breath, arms and legs an embrace nonetheless. The sea never once looked down. pumping, “but I’m sure as hell is wide open, an endless stretch of “I blame all of them,” he says. sure now!!” pale green under an endless stretch “Not just that generation, but The counselor turns around, of blue, soft waves lapping at the like, everyone up to the inventors arms spread, patience gone. “Be beach below, where off-white cliffs of the steam engine. I know it my guest.” meet the shore. It’s purple prose in makes no sense, but it’s what “Whoa. Wait, you aren’t going a picture. He stands on the edge keeps me going.” He chuckles, to fight me on it?” It throws and breathes, and breathes. like there’s irony in that, like irony Arjan, adding to the vertigo and “Years ago,” the counselor says is a concept he understands, and light-headedness he is already behind him, “the sea was blue, looks over, catches Arjan’s eye. experiencing. or steel grey, depending on the “As I said, we don’t get many The counselor nods, again. He weather. Now it turns dark green jumpers anymore. Although the doesn’t look upset about Arjan’s out­ in storms, and pale in the sun. broadcasts are still going strong, break at all. “It’s not my job to stop Scientists say it’s algae, that they people up here seem to be done you from doing anything. Look. thrive due to the chemicals released killing themselves. Maybe we’ve I’m here to support you in whatever into and the rising warmth of the culled enough of the population, decision you want to make. I’m water. It’s still beautiful, don’t you and the rest of us can split the here to make it easier. It’s also my think?” resources. Maybe they are really responsibility to make sure you’re Arjan nods, staring forward, all taking the pills in private, aware of all of your options: You not looking down. He doesn’t want like the broadcasts claim. But can jump, or you can decide not to. to know what will await him when everyone I know knows someone And if you don’t, there are things he takes that last step forward. who did it, and they are all angry you can do after. It’s not shameful, “Nobody has gone in that about it. I think anger is maybe all it shouldn’t be shameful.” water for at least a generation. that’s left.”

40 Arjan laughs. It’s ridiculous, is “My boyfriend believed that if we “But instead you are here.” what it is. Five minutes ago, this changed enough, if we adjusted, Arjan nods. He feels about guy was telling him that there was the world wouldn’t chew us up and as hollow as that plastic bobble no shame in not dying, and now then puke us out like this. He kept headed figurine. “Yeah. Instead he’s spouting philosophy about organizing these protests, rallying I’m here.” the life-saving power of anger. people to I don’t even know! Save “You know they will stream Like being angry will do anything. the water! Build sustainable energy this.” Like being angry ever – facilities! Stop the broadcasts! He Arjan nods. “They are. I know.” No, that’s not true. He used called them ‘induced collective “You know how they will frame to be angry. He used to love the suicidal ideation’ and said that we this?” hot rush of fighting Louis, of were being poisoned from out­ Arjan nods again. “And then fighting with Louis, and knowing side and within. He wanted to it will finally be over. Don’t you that they would make up, fall get people out of the simulators think we have done enough?” into bed together, do another day. and into the streets. Like it hadn’t The counselor looks at him. Now all he has is the booze, and been tried, like it hadn’t been The sea moves below, slowly his family’s dollars to smooth his done before, like we aren’t where eroding the cliffs. In a few years, way, and a sinking emptiness in we are for a reason.” Arjan laughs, they won’t be here. They are his chest. an almost fond rumble deep in his already closer to the ground than “Anger isn’t going to sustain chest that he hasn’t felt in a long they were half an hour ago, and people long enough,” Arjan says, time. He has been trying not to they will get closer. The sea will and sits down, feet dangling. “It’s think of Louis, but right now he take back everything. not like people stay angry. It’s a can embrace the pain. “He was The counselor smiles, and flash of a feeling, and when it’s so angry, all the time, but he nods. gone they will continue to kill kept believing that people could themselves, and – God, just sit change things, that we could still down, you hover.” turn this shit around. The worst “So? All of humanity just thing is that others believed him.” jumps off a cliff, and then what?” He looks away, out into the The counselor sits, cross-legged emp­ti­ness of the sea. “I don’t know and facing Arjan, staring at him if you watch the broadcasts, but –” like maybe he will have an answer. The counselor nods, again. Arjan has never had any answers; Tries a smile, doesn’t succeed. “He all he’s ever had were doubts, and was the activist. The one they shot questions, and fears. He’s been the six times just to show they could, cynic to Louis’ idealist for so long, to show that any rebellion was just he has forgotten that dreaming another way to suicide. It almost was an option. “Do you think this looked like he had planned for it is the end?” to happen that way.” “It’s my end. I don’t know “Yeah.” Arjan looks at him, about the rest of the world. I looks away, looks down, looks guess the planet is just done with anywhere. “They had to make us? Maybe once enough people sure –” He swallows, starts again. are dead, there will be a chance “That was him, and with him all to start new. It’s not going to be our friends. I should have died different, though. Maybe you’ll there with them, but I got drunk create an ideal society or some­ the night before. I had told them thing, but it will always end it was bullshit. I told them dying badly.” Arjan finally meets his for a cause wasn’t worth it, so they gaze, eerily like the sea below and didn’t wake me up. I could have still a stark surprise in his dark gone out holding his hand. We face, and smiles. could have been martyrs together!”

Creative 41 Alexander Temming is a soon-to- For inquiries and further infor­ be industrial designer with roots in mation: [email protected]. architecture. He has a passion for instagram.com/temmse_id comics and illustrations with a twist. He is currently studying Industrial Design at Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design in Kiel.

42 HAMBURG’S HOME OF ENGLISH SPOKEN CINEMA

Savoy Filmtheater · Steindamm 54 · 20099 Hamburg TELEPHONE BOOKINGS: info @ savoy-filmtheater.de · www.savoy-filmtheater.de Tel. 040.284 093 628

Creative 43 Illustration by Nikita Kotliar, 2016.

44 covering allR the needs of t professional photographyR t

Creative 45 paris | amsterdam | hamburg | düsseldorf | frankfurt | barcelona | mallorca | www.7IIrent.com The Mirror Western

The Post-Apocalypse as Utopia

By Michael Dellwing the death of everything and every­ apocalyptic worlds tell a thoroughly one is no new beginning; it is just American story of new frontiers In film, television, video games, the end. However, no religious to be conquered by those guided and literature, post-apocalyptic interpretation, no idea of Gods and by community, rejecting the fiction has seen a renaissance. Heavens are necessary to realize that straightjacket of society. In The These stories depict destruction con­temporary apocalypse stories are Walking Dead, a small community and chaos, loss and misery, broken stories of hope as well. of survivors bands together as a highways with husks of rotting cars, Structurally, post-apocalypse family to fight the hordes of un­ the oppressive authoritarianism stories function as what could be civilized undead and encounters of dystopian regimes or petty termed “mirror Westerns.” The tyrannical re-establishments of warlords, the desolation of starving West­ern story, especially popular order along the way; In The 100, few and scavenging survivors without in the pre- and postwar decades, survivors in a space station, a town- the most basic of amenities: water, depicted a recent American memory in-orbit of Earth, release a handful heat, wifi. The post-apocalypse is a as well as a then-still contemporary of young adults, in lieu of execution, miserable place. American promise: The frontier to the remains of a dead planet Except that it isn’t. The generally provided a destination to those after a nuclear event, inhabited boring reading of such fiction is the who would flee civilization, which only by mutated wildlife and psycho-philosophical one: “These offered “the promise of liberation (mostly) remnants of re-barbarized texts force readers to examine and/or redemption, rebirth or re­in­ humanity, while encountering themselves and question their vention.”2 As a vanishing point, the oppressive recluse societies along potential responses to cir­cum­ frontier offered a place to escape the the way. In Jericho, the inhabitants stances”1, a reading that serves the social structures and its hierarchies, of a small town watch on as the very individualized self-help myths bureaucracies, rules of conduct, nuclear bombs explode and are that are already baked into the and social capital, its byzantine left to fight for their own devices, formats they seek, and ultimately order of status and position, its bound only by the communities, fail, to analyze. Seeing post- locked-in distribution of resources, and families, that raised them, and apocalyptic fiction as a tale of misery established iden­ti­ties and narratives. fighting against the remnants of and suffering, and a tale of human It was an indi­ ­vidualist’s utopia, and bureaucracies gone war-mad. In endurance and resilience in the face as such, it became “a sacred part of Fallout 4, a lone wanderer, who grew of it, is a rather safe perspective. America’s post-Civil War national up in a peaceful, idyllic community Apocalypses are ambiguous mythology.”3 It is, however, more before a nuclear war, explores what things. Though “apocalypse” re­ than just a libertarian individualist is left of Earth decades after the war; mains a metaphor for the end of a fantasy: it is also a conservative in Fallout 3, another lone wanderer journey – and a story – on a glob­ one. Freed from the structures of walks the wasteland after growing al scale, the idea marks a new be­ society, community can take hold up in a facsimile of a small-town gin­ning as well: The destruction of again and overcome a city-bound community, survival vault 101, the old order allows a new one to individualism in favor of stories of built to withstand the devastation. rise. Christian apocalypse stories community and family. Both attempt to reunite a family functioned this way. For this reason There is no frontier any ripped apart, looking for the alone, it would be easy to dismiss this longer, nothing to flee to – unless protagonist’s father in Fallout 3, as a vain hope fueled by fairytales. humans extend their “trek” into and a lost child in Fallout 4, and In a rationalized, secularized world, space, or if civilization falls. Post-­ both encounter bureaucratic and/or

46 Be the Cockroach.

Heinrich Heine Buchhandlung eG Grindelallee 28 / www.heinebuch.deCreative 47 oppressive re-established national For those suffering from them, it They do not leave behind cities orders along the way. The converse holds the promise of liberation: full of people too comfortable of post-apocalypse stories of the its own utopia. In the place of in existing structures to leave; eradication of order is, therefore, the hopelessness of impenetrable they leave behind the dead. (In the culmination of it in a tyrannical rationalized bureaucracies, post- tyrannical megastructures, those megastructure; often both are apocalypse stories offer hope and left behind are those that died and mixed together, as they are in The agency – for some. those who arranged themselves Hunger Games, and not rarely, Not for all. The hopeful story with the new tyranny). The hopeful the megastructure is outsourced outlined here is hopeful only to stories of freedom and agency are to aliens, as in Colony: in a clear a segment of the audience: those the stories of those newly liberated analogy to the US occupation of with the kinds of social capital from civilization through the Iraq, the largely invisible alien that can be leveraged in a post- death of everyone who held them overlords delegate rule to human apocalyptic world of individualist together. While the survivors collaborators tucked away in safe agency, the able-bodied, young, are freed from the structures of and heavily armed Green Zones. reasonably strong, “cunning” and civilization, the dead are freed The untamed wild can be tamed “street-smart.” There is little use in from the suffering that may ensue. by the rugged, strong, morally the post-apocalypse for derivatives The disaffected and hopeless righteous indi­ ­vidual inoculated by traders, loan managers, civil can have another hope, more the values of family and community; servants in government structures, taboo hope represented in those the oppressive and (in its portrayal or cultural studies professors. To whose perspective the fictional to the viewer) clearly illegitimate those disaffected with existing rendering rarely represent: The structure can be fought in similarly structures, this is the appeal of post-apocalyptical utopia contains inspired rebellion. In both versions the apocalypse. There is, however, a hope for death. This hope, and of the post-apocalypse – and its also little the old, the infirm, or this death, is an entirely different amalgamated mixtures –, resistance the disabled can do. There are entity than those portrayed in the is not futile, and assimilation can be those, however, who are already formats discussed here. staved off. marginalized in the pre-apocalypse: The fictions enumerated above This apocalyptic change, then, those who already fight for survival can tell the story of the dead is only catastrophic for those in an unforgiving, wild world only imperfectly: The dead have comfortable in pre-apocalyptic before the institutions fall. no perspective (but see iZombie stability. The end of the world means The great post-apocalyptic and In the Flesh, which tell their the end of the burdens of the world neo-westerns are told from the stories from the perspective of – at least those that are associated perspective of its unwilling refugees the Zombie, though both are not with existing social structures. from civilization: the survivors. post-apocalypse formats: the order

Fig. 14 Fig. 25 Fig. 36

48 remains in place in both, and the extinction event was now portrayed 2 Hoberman, J. 1999. “How the latter is a tale of stigmatization by Trump’s opponents as a preferable Western Was Lost.” Pp. 85-92 and reintegration of the undead alternative (fig. 5).8 in: The Western Reader, ed. Jim through the British welfare state). The apocalypse is not merely Kitses and Gregg Rickman. New But the pre-apocalypse readers can a foil to test psychological or York. 92. identify themselves as those who philosophical principles in a 3 Hoberman, J. 1997. Steaming would fight and survive untethered horribly dystopian environment. Torsos. Review of Westerns: Mak- – or as those who would be dead. This underestimates the occurrence ing the Man in Fiction and Film That these liberations are fictional massively, and it overestimates by Lee Clark Mitchell. London allows viewers (or readers) of people’s attachment to the nice and Review of Books 19: 27-8. post-apocalyptical fiction to sort warm fictions of public discourse. 4 Becker, Sabina. Wankers of the themselves. While some can place It is important to read it as a Week: Giant Meteor, 2016. News their fantasies in the liberated double utopia dressed in dystopian of the Restless, 04 Nov. 2016. survivors, others can harbor much clothing, one that curiously gathers Web. 28. Dec. 2016. darker hopes. two very different sets of people 5 Becker, Sabina. Wankers of the In the run-up to the 2016 US who are hopeless in the face of Week. presidential election, this second modern institutions: those who 6 Krage, Steven. BREAKING: hope prevails. Memes, then stickers, imagine themselves free if they fall, Mythical Lovecraft Monster shirts, bags, and mugs flooded and those who imagine themselves Cthulhu latest in string of Trump the market, declaring a satirical not helped enough. There is a denouncers, according to Stephen allegiance to the apocalypse as a morbid alliance between the King. From the Ego of Steven. better alternative to what was. The libertarian right and the disaffected 15 Sep. 2016. Web. 28 Dec. two major manifestations of this were left, and post-apocalypse stories can 2016. styled after typical electioneering be a screen for the projection of the 7 Krage, Steven. BREAKING: material, advertising “Giant Meteor” hopes of both. Mythical Lovecraft Monster (as an extinction-level natural di­ Cthulhu. saster) “2016,” (fig. 1, 2) and H.P. 8 The tweet-meme in figure 5 Lovecraft’s Cthulhu (fig. 3, 4). refers to the 2012 end of the The promise of smashing the Notes Mayan calendar, an apocalypse structures that underpin the present 1 Tarulli, L., and B. M. Brendler. expectation that became a short order, ending existing bureaucracies, 2014. Blurring Gender Lines in pop culture obsession in 2011. status hierarchies, and rules of Readers’ Advisory for Young Adults. 9 Buzzfeed.com. Fuck Our Lives. social conduct appeared as a hope Reference & User Services Quar­ Campaign Images. Nov. 2016. in the actual election already. The terly 53: 221-224. Web. 28 Dec. 2016.

Fig. 47 Fig. 59

Popular Culture 49 The Apocalypse in Michelle Tea’s Black Wave

“It’s like a metaphor for the end of love”1

By Nicole Malik as the consequences they have on In the second part of the novel, our lives. the reader experiences a kind of What do you do if you are a writer Tea also draws attention to “apocalypse” on a formal level. The of memoirs, but are kept from the impending tech bubble San narrative unravels. Tea tells the writing about your life because the Francisco is about to experience, reader about the writing pro­cess of people that are part of your story making it harder and harder for the book. Originally, Black Wave refuse to be part of the written her community to be able to was supposed to be a memoir, one? This is one of the questions afford life in the city. Rents are telling the story of the end of her author Michelle Tea is exploring raised, and the bars and clubs relationship. However, due to her in her newest novel Black Wave. frequented by Michelle and her ex-partner refusing to be part of The first part of the book is set in friends close due to gentrification Tea’s narrative, Tea was forced to the last days of the year 1999 and taking its toll. Slowly, the world rewrite the entire book and there­ tells the story of a girl spending in which the protagonist’s com­ fore change her story. her 20s in San Francisco. Michelle, mu­nity lives is shrinking, or, Tea starts exploring what it the protagonist, is part of the local more apocalyptically expressed, is means to write a memoir, the dif­fi ­ queer community. She parties a lot coming to an end. culties of deciding where her own with her friends, drinks excessively, The aforementioned is top­ story ends and where someone is sexually promiscuous, and, over ped off by the (imminent) ends else’s story begins. She ac­knowl­ the course of the book, comes into Michelle experiences on a per­ edges the fact that she, as the au­ contact with hard drugs. sonal level: the break-up with thor, shapes the material, that Right from the beginning, the her girlfriend, several friendships only she, through her writing, has reader is presented with a world ending due to her increasing use the power to lead the reader to a that seems to be slowly unravelling. of hard drugs, and her seeming certain image of the narrative she is The novel thematizes several in­ability to write another book, creating. Maybe the whole story is notions of an approaching end, mean­ing the end of her literary different; she could be lying to the with some being more promi­­­ nent­ career. reader. She also draws attention to in the narrative than others. The The first part of the novel ends the difficulty of bringing a memoir natural surroundings the story is set with Michelle’s move from San to an end, “I Couldn’t Figure Out in feature plants that are struggling Francisco to Los Angeles to start How To End The Book, Michelle to survive or have been exchanged fresh. Here, she seeks to better her explained. With Memoirs The for artificial counterparts, as life by becoming sober, leaving Story Just Keeps Going. You’re well as smog. Through this, toxic relationships behind, and Supposed To Wrap It Up All the reader is made aware of the trying to keep doing what she loves Nicely But It’s Real Life. It’s Hard. realities of climate change and in order to keep her profession in So I Think I’m Just Going To environmental pollution, as well the realm of writing. Have The World Explode”2. With

50 this remark, Tea induces the end telling it. We learn that the story Tea’s Black Wave shows that the of the world in the story world, told in the first part of the book is process of growing up is full of and the reader encounters a self- partly true, but is actually only a moments that can produce a sense reflexive apocalypse. highly fictionalized version of her of helplessness, moments that feel Soon, the impending end of life. Mentioned places and people like a personal apocalypse. None­ the world is announced on the actually existed, instances really the­less, it is a story with a positive news. Nature is dying, the climate occurred. However, Tea plays with mes­sage of empowerment: No is changing. Confronted with the the chronology and exchanges mat­ter what horrible things hap­ bad news, the population of the some people of her live with other pen in your life, it is not the end. story world attempts to cope. characters, transforming her story When you fall, you can get up A neighborhood community is into merely ‘a’ story. again and start anew. holding a peace rally, but violent This whole process is de­ riots occur, shops are looted, and scribed in the second part of the people commit suicide. In the novel and is intertwined with Notes middle of all this, Michelle decides Michelle’s search for sobriety 1 Tea, Michelle. Black Wave. New that she will write her story. She and her attempt to find the right York City, NY: Feminist Press, recounts the editing process of mindset for working on her book. 2016. p. 150. the original version of Black Wave, On the last day of earth, which 2 ibid. which she is unable to publish due also marks the end of the book, to her not wanting to violate the and therefore the end of the story privacy of her loved ones. world she has created, Michelle By writing about the process sits down and begins to write through which this book came to Black Wave, transforming the life, Tea cleverly tells the story about highly metafictional story into a her ex-partner without actually figurative Möbius Strip.

Photograph by Nicole Malik

Popular Culture 51 ELEMENT LOST

A post-apocalyptic European drama series

By Verena Gräfe-Höft and called Oxicities, which have thus outskirts, in which the ‘Border Samuel R. Schultschik far managed to adapt and maintain People’ wait and hope to be one a sustainable level of oxygen. But of the chosen few allowed inside Set in the year 2044, the show this solution cannot last for long. for salvation. However, there is centers around a young northern After her father is killed by a another way to gain access to the German girl named Kaya (23). group of renegade criminals who city – through the Door, a secret Dur­ing a global catastrophe, she scavenge the suburban wastelands and powerful underworld leader and her family were trapped with­ to survive, Kaya’s only goal is to who calls the shots out here in the in the confines of their home, as save her little brother Mika (11), treacherous borderland of Oxicity. oxygen levels around the world and secure a place in an Oxicity In this ‘kill or be killed world’ dropped drastically and with lit­ for him. Kaya cannot tell who is friend or tle warning – and few humans One Oxicity, formerly known foe. survived. as Hamburg, is now guarded by Is all of humanity the cause for What kind of incident could fences and heavy security, which such absolute destruction? Or is have triggered such a catastrophic was established by the ruling it nature itself and Planet Earth chain reaction? In order to survive corporation UNITEC to keep out that want to get rid of their worst the deadly air quality, what is left the ‘Border People’. Huge refugee parasite: The Human Race? of mankind’s elite has set up so camps sprawl across the city’s

52 The World and put into action. UNITEC Creator‘s Note By the year 2044, genetic mod­i­ is confident that once again they We lose our most essential element fi­cation has made great progress, have made a great step towards for survival − oxygen. Led by Kaya, be­coming not only socially ac­ positive world progress. There is a an elaborate web of characters is cepted but the norm when it small problem though... woven together and connects, as comes to the health and progress Soon after the first cash crops they deal with not only the global of humanity. From curing diseases are sown, there is an outcrossing crisis at hand, but their own internal that had plagued humans just of the mutation to surrounding and personal struggles. In Element 30 years before to altering food photosynthetic organisms. They Lost, we explore the compassion, sources for superior quality and also begin to retain most of their fear, humility and resilience of out­put, mankind has made great oxygen and grow at an accelerated humanity in the face of extinction advances. rate. Not long after, entire forests at the hands of nature. The world is far from per­ are being infected by this so-called We believe in diversity – espe­ fect though, as struggles with miracle gene. Earth’s oxygen cially when it comes to enter­tain­ envi­ ronmental­ and cyber terror­­ levels begin to drop rapidly. Mass ment. The challenge is to create an ism, border wars and super bugs hysteria and civil unrest break authentic multi-language­ European continue to grow. However, thanks out globally as mankind struggles TV Drama from Germany that to UNITEC, the main inter­ in vain to find a solution. Vast reflects not only the international national govern­ ment­ corporation, populations and communities standards of what contemporary which is also a leader in the field of slowly suffocate in the increasingly television should offer, but what agricultural biotechnology, some stifling atmosphere and unless you we feel is just the beginning of a level of global control is main­ are fortunate enough to live within new era of television that has much tained. UNITEC likes to lead a the strictly bordered confines of an to be expanded on and explored in rather totalitarian regime. They Oxicity, where the development of scope and possibility. do what is necessary to ensure alternative oxygen production has We believe in the core strength progress. been established, your days are of this original story. Specifically, Global weather patterns have numbered. we believe in the significance and become increasingly erratic, caus­ Once the initial chaos dies relatable nature of our characters. ing continuous waves of fam­ down, few have managed to Even though we play with familiar ine brought about by floods and survive outside of the Oxicities. elements, on the whole, there droughts. In an attempt to create The world outside is treacherous is an original, edgy and bold greater stability of food sources, and unforgiving. Either your food concept that forms the base of this UNITEC has been funding a group supplies will run out or wandering show. We aim to create an entire of scientists to develop a cash crop groups of Oxygen Scavengers will universe surrounding the story. that can with­stand volatile climates. take what little you have left and There is a chance here to develop One of the scien­ ­tists in this group leave you for dead. And if it is not an authentic collaboration be­ manages to create a surprisingly the Oxygen Scavengers you are up tween multilevel creative story­ effective design through basic against, it is nature itself, as now it telling, promotion, content and alterations, which he calls G-41. is you and nature fighting for the technology. We want to raise fun­ Instead of releasing oxygen as a last residues of oxygen – down to da­mental philosophical questions byproduct during photosynthesis, the last breath. that have no clear-cut answer, but the plant retains this essential Through this hostile terrain instead provoke much-needed con­ molecule and uses it to perform a our heroine Kaya must lead, in ver­sation and consideration in re­ kind of hyper-cellular respiration, an attempt to save herself and gard to current environmental and thus yielding greater crop output her little brother, Mika. But this global situations. at an exceptionally accelerated is just the beginning, as she soon Element Lost is bound to be an rate. The plants practically grow discovers that it is not only her engaging, immersive series, which over night. G-41 seems to be the brother’s life that lies in her hand, is fun and compelling – a thrilling an­swer to some of the world’s most but that of mankind. genre show that has the quality pres­sing issues. Almost as soon as to expand into new territories of it is discovered, G-41 is patented entertainment.

Popular Culture 53 Creators of the EAVE Producer Network he worked as a dramaturgical Verena Gräfe-Höft and alumnus of the European TV advisor, staff writer and storyliner. (CEO Junafilm, Executive Producer) Drama Lab. In 2014 he joined the Writers’ By the time she completed her Room for the international co- studies in Creative Production at Samuel R. Schultschik production of Heirs of the Night, Hamburg Media School, Verena (Head Writer, Executive Producer) followed by serial projects in Gräfe-Höft had already worked as Samuel R. Schultschik was born in Austria and Germany. In 2015 a freelance journalist for various Vienna, Austria. After completing he was part of the MediaXchange radio and television networks, his studies in film in Vienna and Showrunner Program in Los providing her with a wide range Berlin, he moved to Hamburg Angeles, California, where of experience within the media where he studied screenwriting at leading European filmmakers and entertainment industry. After the Hamburg Media School. He worked together with Hollywood initial success with her national graduated in 2012 with a Master professionals. Here he worked on and international award winning of Fine Arts and began to work as the development of his television film-projects, she went on to found a writer for cinema, television and series, “Element Lost”. In 2016 he her own production company, commercials. His short films have founded the production company JUNAFILM. She continues to won several awards and have been and film collective ‘bandofrebels’. func­tion as a board member of screened at festivals worldwide. the Hamburg Media School and In 2013, he co-founded a writers’ cur­rently works as a Production collective to develop new series Consultant at the Hamburg Art and formats for TV and online Academy, in the film department distribution channels, followed of Wim Wenders. She is also part by different projects on which

54 Popular Culture 55 “Because We’re the Good Guys”

Morality as a preservation of humanity in post-apocalyptic narratives

By Tanja Ebner dead, fear the living.”3 While the basic idea of these rights continues series’ zombies are stripped of any to exist after the apocalypse. Post- In the hostile environment of post- conscious decision to eat human apocalyptic narratives seem to be a apocalyptic fiction, the issue of how flesh, there is the community of playground for defining humanity: to survive dominates not only the “The Hunters” which, as in The they have the power to unmask life of the remaining inhabitants Road, stores other humans for structures we take for granted in of the earth, but also the genre’s their own feeding. our daily lives, and often leave us movies, literature, and television. Being the “good” one is a de­ asking “How far would we go?”. In Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, liberate and moral choice, and where father and son wander trans­forms itself into one of the south in a bleak landscape, devoid last traces of a pre-apocalyptic hu­ of almost all life but coated with a man­ity. In a world where almost Notes gray layer of ash, the son divides everything humans used to know 1 Roman, David. “The Ethical the world he knows between the is either dead or destroyed, the Game: Morality in Postapoc­ “good guys” and the “bad guys.” central question is what will alyptic Fictions from Cormac David Roman identifies this con­ remain – what will be left of hu­ McCarthy to Video Games.” trast as “the Ethical Game,” which mans? Is it the grilled baby which Los Angeles Review of Books, 23 can repeatedly be found in post- The Road’s father and son pass by, May 2015, lareviewofbooks.org/ apocalyptic narratives.1 In The or the letter the boy wanted to article/the-ethical-game-mo­ Road, the son is constantly con­ write to let the good guys know rality-in-postapocalyptic-fic­ cerned with the question if he that there are more of them? Even­ tions-from-cormac-mccar­ and his father still belong to the tually, choosing to be on the good thy-to-video-games. Accessed 12 “good” end of this dichotomy, side serves as a harsh contrast to Dec. 2016. and many of the son’s attempts to the almost dehumanizing cir­cum­ 2 Roman, David. “The Ethical help others are denied by the more stances that are prevailing in the Game.” guarded father. post-apocalyptic world – one could 3 “The Walking Dead – Taglines.” After all, being the good guy even argue that acting “human” IMDB, www.imdb.com/title/ does not necessarily make living becomes one of the remnants­ of tt1520211/taglines. Accessed 13 in the post-apocalypse any easier the civilization people once knew, Dec. 2016. – it rather creates more problems.2 preserving a condition of the past Sharing food in times of an ex­ in the dismal present. treme shortage thereof means As it is visible in The Walking risking your own life. And then Dead or The Road, the idea of let’s not forget the diet the “bad humanity is deeply connected guys” turn to: cannibalism. One of with moral behavior and the the taglines of the television series consequence of choices to the The Walking Dead captures this community. While nowadays conflict for the zombie-infused several nations established morally post-apocalypse nicely: “Fight the grounded human rights by law, the

56 othelloadapted from the tragedy by william shakespeare

24|25|27|28|29|30|31 january 2017 1|3|4 february 2017 7.30 pm audimax universität hamburg von-melle-park 4

Popular Culture tickets 57 • unikontor, allende-platz 1 • www.universityplayers.de Essentials You’ll Need for the Apocalypse

(in association with bushcraft and survival expert Christoph Reusch)

By Jana Eggert

- food rations (preferably dehydrated and non-perishable) - portable water filter - survival knife (stainless steel, max. 12cm, drop point blade) - first aid kit + rescue blanket - trekking axe & folding saw - string - tarp (min. 3x3m) - roll mat + sleeping bag + fleece blanket - backpack (15-25kg, waist strap) - weatherproof outdoor clothing + gloves + hat - comfortable hiking boots (broken in) - headlamp & (crank-powered) flashlight + solar charger - weapons for hunting and self- defense (bow, slingshot, pistol) - compass - small cookset + drinking cup + spork - fire steel - 1 PET bottle (0.5-1.5l) for collecting water, insects etc. - guide to venomous animals and poisonous plants

Good luck!

Illustration by Alexander Temming

58 SHCRAF BU T

NORT H

survival

Willkommen in der Wildnis

Kurse • Events • Ausrüstung www.bushcraft- north.de

Popular Culture 59 “Let’s Do All the Drugs!”

When potheads and barflies make movies about themselves, it usually takes a lot to stop their characters from intoxicating themselves. Sometimes even the end of the world is not enough.

By David Fischer early forties, but is bent on reaching one of a beneficial plan to facilitate a goal he failed to accomplish progress and communication with In July of 2013, two apocalyptic twen­ty years ago: reuniting his old ex­traterrestrial civilizations. Ar­ spoof-comedies hit cinemas across gang and drinking one pint in all guing with the alien invaders, Gary the globe: The World’s End and This twelve pubs of his tiny home town utters the classic Brexit-supporter’s­ is the End. The movies addressed a of Newton Haven. But something retort against all reasons for staying young audience that had witnessed is off: A few pubs into the crawl, in a union that requires forfeiting a too many cities being epically torn it turns out the reason nobody certain degree of sovereignty: “Face down by Roland Emmerich and recognizes them is that the villagers it! We are the human race and we his peers, seen too much of Will have been replaced by robot clones just don’t like being told what to do.” Smith fighting aliens and zombies, that seem to be preparing an alien and heard too many dead serious invasion. The gang, for some reason Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg dialogues about love and family skilled in martial arts, scurries from Present: The Book of Revelation values against the backdrop of green bar to bar, kicking and punching You don’t need the entire back of screen explosions. Hollywood’s their way through clones of former a DVD case to summarize This Is “apoca-blockbuster”1, as Canadian acquaintances. the End: A group of Hollywood critic Brian D. Johnson calls the The little room available for actors, including Seth Rogen, is genre, was long overdue for full- serious conversations is devoted to invited to a party at James Franco’s blown parody, and after a few tries, the conflict between Gary’s nostalgia Hollywood mansion when, sud­ including the dispensable Disaster about his adventurous youth and den­ly, Judgement Day begins. The Movie, two films from England and his gang’s ideas of living a grown-up special gimmick: Everybody plays the U.S. struck a nerve. At first glance, life. Despite increasing robot attacks, them­selves. Or rather, hysterically their similarities are uncanny: Both Gary flat out rejects any change of ex­ag­gerated versions of themselves – movies deal with the difficulties of plans and forces his allegedly matured some­times pushing the boundaries maintaining a friendship throughout buddies to follow him from pub to of good taste. In an interview with the years while evolving as a person. pub. Their reluctance diminishes USA Today, Rogen reveals, that Both feature massive substance with rising levels of alcohol. Indeed, every­one requested some changes abuse in dire situations. But it is booze sets up most gags. Yet, it also in their fictional representations². precisely in their realisation of these shines a light on Gary’s sad present. Except James Franco. similarities that we can observe the He has to complete the pub crawl What distinguishes the film subtle peculiarities of America’s and relive his happier past, no matter from the innumerable alien-, zom­ stoner-movie darling Seth Rogen what: “It’s all I’ve got!” Gary knows bie-, or virus-catastrophes, is its set- and Britain’s pub-movie master his life is as tragic as it is hilarious. up: the apocalypse here is actually Simon Pegg unfold, and − if we keep He desperately clings to his goal of a biblical one – and, unbelievably our own booze and weed levels in finishing the pub crawl, while already some­times, so are large parts of the check – maybe even learn something knowing how stupid he is being. movie. Jay Baruchel extensively about British and American culture. This idea takes on a political quotes the scripture, Jonah Hill dimension when the gang finds prays to God, later he becomes Simon Pegg Returns to the Pub out the aliens’ idea of replacing pos­sessed by a demon and is ex­ In The World’s End, Gary is in his parts of humanity is actually step or­cised. In consequence, the way

60 out provided for the characters is himself­ to the leader of a Mad- End: The tragedy of Gary’s nostalgia biblical as well. The gang discovers Max-like post-apocalyptic gang of provides a minor angle to a film that they can sacrifice themselves for an­ canni­ bal­ street thugs. With his sex is partly about kicking robot-alien other to ascend to heaven. Seth’s slave Channing Tatum on a leash ass and mostly about getting wasted char­acter sums it up for the parts of and a human skull as a hat he is the with old pals. I say, grab whatever his audience too high to follow the hyperbolic pagan leader in a world you need to get the most out of this plot: “It means that if we’re actually with­out order. But even he under­­ kind of movie night and make it an nice to each other, we get sucked up stands the biblical premise that pre­ apocalyptic double feature. into heaven, too. That’s the deal.” vents James Franco’s re­demp­tion: Could This is the End be con­ “I’ll tell you what happened, Franco. David Fischer finished his masters sidered a biblical movie then, or is You don’t get sucked up into heaven in British Studies on Orientalism there more satire to it? Evidently it because you were being petty.” in the Late Victorian Opium accepts the concept of a Judgement Den Narrative at the Johannes Day and the premise of heaven for Recommendation: Gutenberg-University of Mainz the righteous and the apocalypse Double Feature in 2015. Today he works as a as the punishment of sinners. It Besides the cascades of one-liners, journalist and German teacher. exaggerates these ideas and embel­­ the films’ humour relies on the lishes them to fit its cast of party- multitude of Hollywood celebrities loving celebrity potheads, however, parodying their usual personas. it does not knock them over. While Michael Cera, for example, typecast Notes orthodox believers might argue for life as the insecure teenager, 1 Johnson, Brian D. “Was Arma­ other­wise, the satire is not directed snorts coke, gropes Rihanna’s butt geddon Always This Compli­ at religion, but at the actors them­ and is caught in a three-way rim-/ cated?”. Macleans, 7. July 2013, selves, their on- and off-screen per­ blowjob in the bathroom. Way be­ www.macleans.ca. Accessed 12 cep­tion by the public and, of course, fore it is biblical or satirical, This Nov. 2016. the genre of apocalyptic movies. is the End is a classic drug movie 2 The Internet Movie Database. A showcase example: A few days about a gang of guys getting high IMDb.com, Inc, 2016, www. after leaving James Franco’s house, and acting childish in face of dead­ly imdb.com. Accessed 13 Nov. Danny McBride has appointed peril. The same goes for The World’s 2016.

The World’s End This is the End

Director/Writer Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg (w.) Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg

Main Cast Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Franco, Craig Robinson, Jonah Marsan Hill, Danny McBride

Length in minutes 106 109

The drug of choice Twelve pints of Beer (6.8 Litres) per Mainly weed. But also cocaine, beer, person. vodka, tequila, whisky, wine, ecstasy, mushrooms, and a Milky Way bar.

The enemy Alien robot-clones. Demons with large penises.

Weirdest cameo Pierce Brosnan as the gang’s former The Backstreet Boys as themselves. teacher.

The movie in one quote Gary: Hey! It’s our basic human Seth: That means there’s a god, right to be fuck-ups! This civilization right? I would have lead my life as was founded by fuck-ups and you though there was a god! This whole know what!? It makes me proud! time, who fuckin’ saw that coming? That there’s actually a god?

Popular Culture 61 EZO1

A post–apocalyptic movie

By Sven Knüppel

Sven Knüppel is an independent film and television producer and author. He studied German Philology, Literature and Media Studies at the Christian-Albrechts- Universität of Kiel. Despite his academic background, he has always been an artist at heart, so he founded the production company Gula Mons in 2005. His post-apocalyptic movie EZO1 will soon be released on the Asian market.

Synopsis In the ruins of a post-apocalyptic world, the MADNESS, a massive hulking tank-bulldozer hybrid is on its patrol. The crew is ordered to protect a sprawling MEGALOPOLIS, the last refuge of humankind, against survivors, renegades, and relics of a long past. While humans and Immunes in the tank are arguing about tactics, ranks and a new social The Author on the Movie may function as a warning, and order, they are surrounded by Sven Knüppel: “Why the dys­ might develop a stronger effect as zombies, ancient machines of to­pian vision? Well, SciFi and every well-meant plea. Nobody war, and a giant monster (Yokai). utopias may often be laughed at can seriously be interested in Also, there are rumors about a as imaginative nonsense that is living in the nightmare reality of a legendary battleship of an ancient fun and entertaining to watch. film such as Blade Runner, but as enemy: the REPUBLIC OF EZO. However, most of the time they a work of art the movie can appeal With it, the ARMY OF THE are dismal oracles reflecting our to us.” TSUCHIGUMOS emerges to fear of the future. So, why not question the loyalty of the crew… anticipate the worst case in order and its humanity. to be able, from now on alert and psychologically prepared, to never let this become reality? Even the most bizarre b-movie therefore

62 ���������� ����� ���������� � ��� ���� �� ��

�������� ���������������� �������������� � � ��� ! �����"

!��� #��������� �$�% �����&��������� � � ����!� ��� ��' ( �����# � �)���� � ��� � �� *��������! � �������������( ��� ������#+�� �,��-�����.�� ������* ���� �/������� ������/�������&�)/�����! ���0!����$� 1 �������!��!�����23�*��4�1������� ������+������&���������' �����!$ 5 �� �����& �� ���������$��� �)��$� $

������ � �����"

������(�1 ������! �������������� ��� �� ���������� �� ���������! ��6������� �� � � ��� �������� �� �������7

���������! ���������"

�����(�8���� ��9��� �#������� ����������� � ����0� �������������� � ����/� :���������#����� � ����� �������� �& ���;���� ��� �� ����+���� ���� ����&��� ���!& ��

�<����! &�����! � ���� � ����!�����/�������� ���� &����� ����=��� �)��$� �� �� �7������� � ������������7

Popular Culture 63 By Sonia Berges and Amelie Kißmer

By Sven Knüppel

64 Photograph by Florent Santoni, Lauenburg an der Elbe, November 2016.

Popular Culture 65 66 Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all our sponsors, advertisers, writers and artists who made it possible for us to publish the end. Without their help, time, commitment, and financial support, this magazine would not exist. We are particularly grateful to:

ANPAK Superpackage GmbH Biologische Heilmittel Heel GmbH Bushcraft North EDEKA Niemerszein Fabrik der Künste Frau Tolle Hamburger Renn-Club e.V. Heinrich Heine Buchhandlung e.G. High-ND GmbH & Co. KG Letzte Ölung UG (haftungsbeschränkt) Lütt Frida’s Kombüse Ratsherrn Brauerei GmbH Seth Production University Players e.V. Universitätsverlag Winter GmbH Unser Hamburg utb GmbH XAVOY Filmtheater GmbH 711rent as well as our generous friends and families.

Moreover, we would like to thank Professor Dr. Ute Berns for her support and words of advice.

Thank you to everyone who has helped to create our magazine the end.

The students of the Master’s program “British and American Cultures: Texts and Media” 2015/16, Universität Hamburg: Veronika Arutjunjanova, Sonia Berges, Lisa Böhm, Janina Dostal, Tanja Ebner, Katja Eckhardt, Jana Eggert, Iris Eickert, Lisa Fornell, Kerrin Füracker, Marissa Gebauer, Sarah Heller, Theresa Johns, Caroline Anja Kacperski, Amelie Kißmer, Dagny Lack, Nicole Malik, Stephanie Schmidt, Friederike Schockenhoff, Laura Schwarz, Rüdiger Thomsen, Ann-Sophie Toldema, Lisa Voermann, Catharina Wind.

67 Publishing Details

Writers Copy-editing Publishers Friederike Schockenhoff Sonia Berges Jana Eggert Sonia Berges Kieler Straße 268 Tanja Ebner Iris Eickert Hufnerstraße 110 22525 Hamburg Jana Eggert Lisa Fornell 22305 Hamburg Kerrin Füracker Marissa Gebauer Ann-Sophie Toldema Sarah Heller Caroline Anja Kacperski Tanja Ebner Hartungstraße 16 Theresa Johns Laura Schwarz Lindenallee 68 20146 Hamburg Amelie Kißmer 20259 Hamburg Caroline Anja Kacperski Content Coordination Lisa Voermann Dagny Lack Katja Eckhardt Katja Eckhardt Brödermannsweg 92 Nicole Malik Theresa Johns Kaiser-Friedrich-Ufer 20 22453 Hamburg Friederike Schockenhoff 20253 Hamburg Ann-Sophie Toldema Financing and Advertising Sonia Berges Jana Eggert © 2017 Guest Writers Amelie Kißmer Bandwirkerstraße 48 No part of this magazine may Michael Dwelling 22041 Hamburg be reproduced in any form David Fischer Production without prior written consent Verena Gräfe-Höft Tanja Ebner Iris Eickert from the publisher. Sven Knüppel Lisa Voermann Seumestraße 33 Samuel R. Schultschik 22089 Hamburg facebook.com/theend2k17 Contributors instagram.com/theend_2017 Photographers and Artists Veronika Arutjunjanova Theresa Johns Matthias Gephart Lisa Böhm Am Stadtrand 5 Nikita Kotliar Janina Dostal 23556 Lübeck Jan​ -Hendrik Pelz Lisa Fornell Florent Santoni Kerrin Füracker Caroline Kacperski Alexander Temming Marissa Gebauer Hagenbeckstraße 50 Sarah Heller 22527 Hamburg Layout Dagny Lack Sonia Berges Nicole Malik Amelie Kißmer Tanja Ebner Stephanie Schmidt Wördemanns Weg 7 Friederike Schockenhoff Laura Schwarz 22527 Hamburg Ann-Sophie Toldema Rüdiger Thomsen Lisa Voermann Catharina Wind

Der Klügere liest rot.

Simone Broders Jody Skinner Gerlinde Mautner Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten in Anglo-American Cultural Studies Wissenschaftliches Englisch Anglistik und Amerikanistik utb basics Studieren, aber richtig utb 4427 | 978-3-8252-4427-9 utb 3125 | 978-3-8252-4590-0 utb 3444 | 978-3-8252-4621-1 W. Fink. 1. A. 2015. 245 S. A. Francke. 2. A. 2016. UVK. 2. A. 2016. € 14,99 | € (A) 15,50 | sfr 19,90 384 S., 81 s/w Abb. 264 S., mit zahlr. Tab. u. Schaubildern € 24,99 | € (A) 25,70 | sfr 32,50 € 19,99 | € (A) 20,60 | sfr 26,90 „Für mich kann ich nur sagen, dass ich den Kauf zu keinem Zeitpunkt bereut „Sehr gelungene Einführung der „ … eine gute Grundlage für die habe und das Buch jederzeit weiter- Cultural Studies“ Leserbewertung Studierenden, englische Texte zu empfehlen kann.“ Leserbewertung verstehen und selbst zu verfassen. …“ Dozentenbewertung

utb-shop.de | Studienliteratur – wie und wann ich will

68

#theend2k17