Literaturfest: »POLITICAL GIRL« MARIA ALJOCHINA, ERIC J. BREITENBACH, JELENA KULJIĆ

In the organizer's words:

She became famous as a co-founder of Pussy Riot and an important voice in global protest culture: Maria Alyokhina. Her autobiography is a testimony to immense courage, creativity and humanity.

Fast-paced, almost breathless and with her own sense of humor: in her book "Political Girl - Leben und Schicksal in Putins Russland" (Berlin Verlag, German by Nina Frey & Stephan Pauli), Russia's best-known dissident describes the machinery of a mercilessly authoritarian system that she experienced first-hand. At the same time, she provides the most private insights, telling of motherhood and fear, friendships, love and hope.

With her "Punk Prayer" in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior in 2012, Maria Alyokhina and her comrades-in-arms proclaimed their warning against Putin and the dangers of Russian authoritarianism to the world. It was a passionate call for non-violent protest; they paid for their courage with prison. When the war against Ukraine began, she and her friends continued to protest. Maria Alyokhina fled Russia in 2022 to escape another prison sentence. She was awarded the *Hannah Arendt Prize* for political thought.

Canadian drummer and multimedia artist Eric J. Breitenbach toured Europe with Pussy Riot in 2025. He will accompany today's reading by Kammerspiele star Jelena Kuljić with improvised soundscapes, transforming it into an immersive, unique experience.