Austrian children’s author Renate Welsh, who turns 89 in December, reflects on why she now focuses more on writing for adults. Welsh, whose best-known work ‘Das Vamperl’ humorously tackles everyday absurdities, contemplates how the world has changed since her childhood.
Question: Ms. Welsh, how much does the world of your childhood have in common with today’s world?
The world has changed a lot, says Welsh, but not all people have changed with it. The mentality of scarcity still lingers in many: the feeling of having missed out on something they never actually lacked, and that they deserve more, that they are being exploited by foreigners or marginalized groups.
Question: Your colleague Christine Nöstlinger said shortly before her death that she no longer understands today’s world of children and young people. Do you feel the same way?
Nevertheless, she emphasizes the importance of empathy and the political dimension of literature. Failure is part of life, she says, and one must not ignore it.
Question: Why are you increasingly focusing on writing for adults?
The approach to different target groups differs fundamentally, explains Welsh.
Question: What helped you speak again after the stroke?
Question: What role does politics play in your books?
Literature is always political, Welsh stresses.
Question: What do you wish for the future of children’s literature?
Source: www.zeit.de
