Cover Osteuropa 10-11/2020

In Osteuropa 10-11/2020

Tear factory and transformation
Spotlights on contemporary Belarusian poetry

Ilma Rakusa


Deutsche Fassung

Abstract

Contemporary Belarusian poetry is written in two languages. Some poets use Belarusian, which for them is the language of freedom and creative possibili-ties, while others write in Russian. Both are creating genuine Belarusian poetry – and in some cases also world poetry. International readers are already fa-miliar with Ales Rasanau and Valzhyna Mort. He writes timeless poems in which he connects local themes with existential questions. She produces vehement litanies and angry ballads in which a vent is given to pain, fury and grief. Others, such as Julia Tsimafieyeva, Volha Happeeva and Viktar Zhybul are still waiting to be discovered.

(Osteuropa 10-11/2020, pp. 343–355)