Professional Documents
Culture Documents
by Amalia OGANJANYAN
STRANGE PROFESSION to do right now is writing. Frage (Ask me a question). rejections and keep trying”, he the Discussion group of the DAI
Steven Bloom likes to joke Steven says that he knows these admits. may enter now. This club has
But what Steven finds even that he lives behind his desk, characters well and likes them. been run by Professor Bloom for
more annoying about teaching not in Germany. Nonetheless, “I do hear their voices. However MASTER OF DIALOGUE a quarter of a century. People of
is the necessity of giving grades. the town of Heidelberg, where I don’t lose the reality that it is different ages, occupations and
“It’s so artificial! It’s impossible he has spent half of his life and me controlling whatever they Bloom’s main weapon is his origins come here every week
to be a fair judge. I would created most of his books, has do”, the writer adds. sense of humor. His speech is to practice their English and get
prefer just to write comments served as a nice backdrop for His favorite character is interspersed with jokes. “The a chance to discuss topics like
– for example what I liked or his writing. Big cities no longer Izzy – a young Polish Jew who master of dialogue” – this “How patriotic should a citizen
what I found superficial”, the inspire Steven, who was born fought in the World War II and is how German newspapers be?” or “Is honesty the best
professor says. and raised in New York. is constantly seeking personal called him in their literary policy?”
Nevertheless, Steven Bloom Steven writes five hours a happiness. It was Steven’s reviews, praising his art of the “This man is from Taiwan,
has been teaching American day, but does not expect father, who served as a conversational ping-pong. But now he is a citizen of
studies since 1970 – in the US, to get famous or rich prototype for Izzy. He Steven is also a curious listener Germany”, Steven says as soon
Germany, Italy and Poland. And from his books. STEVEN’S was a real Polish Jew, who eagerly asks questions as he sees the first visitor. “But
he never gets bored with it. “I Once he finishes FAVORITE who immigrated and expresses lively interest in he complains that nobody
read new things, try to think a book, he JEWISH JOKE to the US at the every conversation. Maybe he is perceives him as a German”,
differently. Each class is like automatically age of 10 and collecting material for his future he adds. It is obvious that he
a performance with a certain starts to later went to books? knows quite a bit about the
amount of tension, but never think of North Africa “As a writer I don’t lives of the people around him,
a routine”, he explains and the next and Italy with have to tell the truth, my thanks to his inexhaustible
A man is looking for
them confesses: “Teaching at one. “I’ll the US troops. only responsibility is to be attention and empathy.
university is a very strange probably
something at the courtyard, He never told interesting”, he says. Well, some No trace of the restraint and
profession: in order to be run out his friend asks him: his children people may definitely have to tension that professor Bloom
qualified for it you don’t need of time - What are you looking for? a n y t h i n g beware. In autumn 2011 Steven revealed in the morning in
to know anything about before I’ve The man answers: about his war Bloom is to release a book class. His face brightens up, he
teaching. It’s a profession of run out of - I lost my key. experience, about the mayor of Heidelberg gesticulates freely and jokes
people who mostly like research ideas”, says - Are you sure you lost it except for and his wife. non-stop. “These people come
and writing”. the writer here? the fact that here voluntarily. They have
laughing. He - No, I lost it on the A m e r i c a n PRIVILEGED FOREIGNERS rich experience and unlike
WRITING IDENTITY realizes that cigarettes were the students are very active in
road, but the light
there is never the main currency Thirty-five years ago he discussions. The only trouble
The class is over and Steven a guarantee
here is better. during that time. followed his wife Sara, an here is to stop some of them
rushes back home to continue that his current opera singer, who came to talking”, Steven says all smiles.
the work on his new book. He novel will ever be DECISION FOR LIFE Heidelberg to find a job. White These evenings have become
keeps impatiently looking at his published. And even if Americans are an important
“
watch. The only thing he wants it does see the light – there is no Neither Bloom’s father, nor very privileged part of the
guarantee that it will be sold. his mother have learned good foreigners in White week for many
The scene of his first English or received higher Germany, so the participants.
LAST MINUTE QUESTIONS published novel No New Jokes education. The best position his Bloom couple “Our leader
is set in New York in 1949-50. Its father had ever had was that of did not have a Americans Steven is great.
characters are American Jews – a cleaning man at a post office. problem with I’ve never
Archie Feinstein, Jack Goldfarb, Therefore Steven didn’t have a that, Steven seen such an
Favorite writers: J.Joyes, Meyer Woolf, Izzy and others. role model for education in his recalls. And are privileged intelligent and
V.Nabokov, I.B.Singer, P.Roth They discuss the Korean War, family. Since he played football thanks to their entertaining
Favorite music: Good one, like anti-Semitism, baseball, religion in high school, he decided to get English they person as him”,
jazz, opera. or women and try to reduce a degree in sports. However, could integrate foreigners in says a nurse
Favorite holiday: I don’t need the uncertainty in their lives by when he saw university teachers easily into their Theresa Hartl,
”
holidays. I have an easy life telling old Jewish jokes – which standing in front of an audience, new society. His who has been a
and work whenever I have a happens to be the specialization talking about books, it seemed national identity Germany member of the
chance. of professor Bloom. like a very pleasant occupation is not principal discussion group
Favorite time of a day: Early Two factors make Jewish to him. And the decision for life for him, Steven for 15 years. “We
morning, I get up at 5.oo humor special, he explains: “It’s was made: he was to become a admits. The most vital to him are like a big family here”.
Are you a fatalist? I even don’t a social activity, crucial for such university teacher. is to be a writer, father and Literally, one may say. It
know, what destiny means. a verbal culture as that of the Steven’s life as a writer teacher. was here in the DAI club that
The only thing you can say Jews. And: in a hostile world, turned out to be tougher. Bloom Steven’s daughter Zoe met her
about all people in a room is where one cannot count on says that it is easier for him to INTELLIGENT LEADER future husband Christoph. Will
that they will die. God, jokes can help to feel a push a manuscript through a this story turn into the prose of
The word you use more often: little better for a moment”. publisher in Germany than in Tuesday. 18.00. The library Steven Bloom? Well, that could
Yes. The same humorous the US. But he still tries to sell of the German – American be at least one component
Can you live without writing? I characters inhabit Blooms his texts in America. “If you are Institute (DAI) closes for regular in the formula of his first
would not want to. second novel Stellt mir eine a writer, you have to be used to admission. Only members of bestseller.
Januar 2011 International Media Studies German-American relations: A portrait of Steven Bloom DW-Akademie 5
by Amalia OGANJANYAN
H
Photo: Amalia Oganjanyan
E
verything related to the US attracts her. Next a bush where he can hold everything’ll be okay...
year she is going to study in Kentucky for a
Naficy: “Steven brings life into the group” … Not being born is best… but
who is so lucky? Not one in a
writers at the end, because
we don’t have a talent for
D
million... something else...
r. Mehdy Naficy, Library … You know, you stopped
Photo: Amalia Oganjanyan
T
always cooperative to his col-
Mehdy Naficy leagues”, says Mehdy Naficy. he unusual novel (No and impressive people. They
New Jokes) asserts itself would like to let go of the
in a sweet, uncanny way bush but they cannot do it.
ABOUT DAI German-American Institute discussion and video in an accumulation of voices… Where there is no God, they
and is sponsored by German discussion groups, theater A cogent and moving drama clutch to the last straw.
A
cultural institution institutions. performance, literary about a man who is terrifying Frankfurter Rundschau
American House According to Mehdy readings, International decent in the fresh uncertainty about Stellt mir eine Frage
for everyone, Naficy, though the old women club. Besides, the of a new world… The writing
T
later German-American generation is still faithful institute is active in special here is salient, economic; the he polyphony of the
Institute (DAI - Deutsch- to the library and books, events and programs for story is engaging, swift, real; book is first to be
Amerikanisches Institut), was the total amount of readers children, like a bilingual the ethic quiet and huge”. hearable by repeated
founded in 1946 as a library. has declined over years. International Kindergarten, Ron Carlson, Associated Writing reading, and this is one of the
After the Second World War Therefore DAI had to expand which proposes space for 100 Programs judge most lovely compliments a
American troops returned its competences and offers children of 20 nations. writer can ever receive“.
T
home and left many books in special consulting services for “All these activities he strengthen of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Germany, which triggered the German students interested became crucial for us. There is novel lays in a random about Stellt mir eine Frage
opening of English-language in exchange programs in a big interest among Germans depiction of a milieu
libraries in various German the USA and other English- towards the US. The country
cities. This was financially speaking countries. It also is especially in vogue by
supported by the American has a Language school German students as a place
government. However since and language tandem- to continue their education”, CV EXTRACTS of S teve n B l o o m
1975 the American House partnership. The social the library director says.
has changed its name to activities of the DAI include
1942 – born in Brooklyn, NY
Photo: Amalia Oganjanyan
Creative Writing
2004 – Offene Ehe (Open
marriage), collection of New
York stories
2009 – Stellt mir eine Frage (Ask
me a question), a novel
Steven (in the center) and his loyal co-disscussers arguing whether gossip is harmful Married, has two children. Zoe,
47, and David, 29