When does the event take place?

On September 13, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Bamberg State Library.

Where is the event location?

At the Bamberg State Library in the New Residence at Cathedral Square 8 in 96049 Bamberg.

How much is the admission?

Admission is free; no registration is required.

Is the event indoors or outdoors?

The reading takes place indoors at the State Library.

Are there any accessibility notes?

The library is generally accessible; however, there are cobblestones and a steeper ramp at the entrance.

What can the audience expect?

A commented, enjoyable selection of poems around E. T. A. Hoffmann, automatons, dolls, phantoms, as well as questions of progress and ethics.

Nora Gomringer Ignites a Clever Play with Hoffmann's Phantoms in Bamberg

Name: "Oh, oh!" Machines. Poems by Automatons, Dolls, and Phantoms
Start: 2026-09-13T13:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-13T13:00:00+02:00
Location: Staatsbibliothek Bamberg

When Automatons Dream: Nora Gomringer Reinterprets E. T. A. Hoffmann

This reading for the opening of the exhibition "E. T. A. Hoffmann global. Border crossings of fantasy" combines literary reflection, performative word art, and the presence of an author who seemed torn like few others between law, music, and night work. Nora Gomringer unfolds a commented poem panopticum about automatons, dolls, phantoms, and the question of how much progress, ethics, and longing shape our conception of the future.

A Literary Experience between Romanticism and Contemporary

At the center is E. T. A. Hoffmann as a border crosser of literature: fantasist, observer, ironist, and tireless inventor of intermediate worlds. Gomringer chooses texts that show the dreaming gaze not as an escape but as a form of knowledge. This creates a reading atmosphere where classical romanticism meets the debates of the present.

Word Art with Commentary, Humor, and Precision

The event promises not just a mere recitation, but a rare density of author encounter. Nora Gomringer, an award-winning poet and performer, does not just read; she organizes, condenses, and opens associative spaces. It is precisely in this that the literary quality of this morning lies: poems become tangible as forms of thought that already anticipate technology, ecology, and artificial intelligence without becoming didactic.

Bamberg as a Suitable Place for Fantasy and Research

The Bamberg State Library in the New Residence offers the ideal framework for this cultural event. The baroque location, the historical depth of the Cathedral Square, and the scientific aura of the library enhance the theme of the event: literature as a vault, mirror, and border space. Those interested in readings, literary criticism, and the connection between poetry and thought will find a particularly harmonious setting here.

Why Attending is Worthwhile

This recitation opens an unusual access to Hoffmann's work and to the questions that keep his texts alive to this day. The mix of commented poem selection, performative presence, and intellectual tension makes the morning a literary experience that is not only heard but resonates for a long time.

Those who appreciate E. T. A. Hoffmann, contemporary poetry, and smart stage presence should experience this event live. Admission is free, the intellectual yield high, and the atmosphere equally festive and alert.