Karin Dauenheimer in Duisburg: Reading on lesbian self-assertion in the GDR

An inspiring evening about courage, visibility, and self-assertion

With Karin Dauenheimer, a chapter of GDR history, which has been little told for too long, comes to light at the VHS in Stadtfenster. The reading combines personal recollection, historical context, and literary testimony into an intense evening about lesbian self-assertion, political friction, and the strength to stand against rigid norms.

A biography between church, state, and lived utopia

The book Lesbian Self-Assertion in the GDR unfolds the life story of a woman who, as a theologian, feminist, lesbian, and single mother, did not fit the expectations of the state and society. In 1983, Dauenheimer founded the Church Working Group on Homosexuality in Dresden, organized women's festivals, and thus became an important voice within an emerging nationwide lesbian movement in the GDR.

A literary experience with historical depth

The event promises not a smooth retrospective but a multifaceted reading experience. Autobiographical texts, interviews, and archival material shape the book's premise and give the evening the density that characterizes good literature events: personal experience, linguistic precision, and a view of societal fractures. It is precisely in the connection between biography and contemporary history that the special literary quality of this evening lies.

Why this evening is important today

Karin Dauenheimer's story not only tells of resistance in the GDR but also of the question of how visibility even arises. Those who engage with the lesbian movement, GDR history, feminism, and memory culture will find an evening of historical relevance and cultural radiance here. The reading opens a space for questions about freedom, belonging, and self-assertion that extend far beyond the historical context.

A place with an educational tradition

The VHS in Stadtfenster offers an appropriate setting: modern, central, and designed for encounters. The venue combines an educational atmosphere with open urban culture and creates exactly that closeness that makes an author encounter lively. Here, the reading receives a factual yet intimate stage.

Conclusion

This evening takes you deep into a life story that connects courage, attitude, and literary memory. Those who appreciate literary readings with societal depth should experience this event live.

Official channels of Karin Dauenheimer:

• Instagram: No official profile found
• Facebook: No official profile found
• Website: No official profile found
• Publisher: No official profile found

Sources:

• Duisburg Live - It Must Be Livable | Lesbian Self-Assertion in the GDR
• VHS Duisburg - Program book with parking and public transport information
• City of Duisburg - Central Library Duisburg in Stadtfenster
• Leipzig Newspaper - Lesbian Self-Assertion in the GDR
• jpc - Karin Dauenheimer: Lesbian Self-Assertion in the GDR
• City of Duisburg - VHS in Stadtfenster and event notes