Name: Reading: The Invention of Life by Hanns-Josef Ortheil
Start: 2026-09-11T20:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-11T21:00:00+02:00
Location: kultur.lokal.fürth

Hanns-Josef Ortheil in Fürth: A reading between memory, language, and visual power

In kultur.lokal.fürth, literature meets the present: On September 11, 2026, Hanns-Josef Ortheil will read from his novel The Invention of Life and open an evening where linguistic art, perception, and artistic impulses intertwine. The reading accompanies the exhibition Elements by Stephan Pfeiffer and Sabine Schricker-Müller, which focuses on fragments, perception, and the emergence of meaning. ([tourismus-fuerth.de](https://www.tourismus-fuerth.de/event/lesung-die-erfindung-des-lebens-von-hanns-josef-ortheil-451376-mvk/))

A novel that speaks from inner experience

Hanns-Josef Ortheil is one of the most prominent storytellers of contemporary German literature. His work ranges from autobiographically grounded novels to travel and music books, as well as essays and poetological reflections. The author was born in 1951 in Cologne, is a writer, pianist, and professor of creative writing and cultural journalism in Hildesheim; Suhrkamp Verlag refers to him as one of the most productive storytellers of the present. ([suhrkamp.de](https://www.suhrkamp.de/rights/person/hanns-josef-ortheil-p-8502?utm_source=openai))

The Invention of Life marks a particularly impressive point in this work: a novel that understands memory not as an archive, but as a creative movement. Ortheil's writing connects autobiographical experience with literary form, precise observation, and musical rhythm. This creates the unique reading atmosphere for which his performances are appreciated. ([hanns-josef-ortheil.de](https://hanns-josef-ortheil.de/buecher/ein-kosmos-der-schrift/?utm_source=openai))

The cultural environment: kultur.lokal.fürth as an open space

The kultur.lokal.fürth at Bahnhofplatz 2 sees itself as a space for exhibitions, readings, performances, and dialogue. The urban cultural space is accessible on the ground floor and is designed to be barrier-free; additional rooms are accessible via stairs. Thus, the event is set in a consciously close urban framework where the audience and art meet directly. ([fuerth.de](https://www.fuerth.de/kultur-freizeit/kultur/kulturlokalfuerth/?utm_source=openai))

The combination of literature and visual art characterizes the evening in a special way. Stephan Pfeiffer's works on Elements approach the visible and the felt through images, fragments, and mash-ups; Ortheil's novel will not only be read but will also be placed within an expanded cultural discourse. This makes the date appealing for literature enthusiasts as well as for visitors to the regional art scene. ([tourismus-fuerth.de](https://www.tourismus-fuerth.de/event/lesung-die-erfindung-des-lebens-von-hanns-josef-ortheil-451376-mvk/))

What visitors can expect

The event is announced as a one-hour reading, from 18:00 to 19:00 on Friday, September 11, 2026. The focus is on the encounter with an author whose work unfolds a rare density between autobiographical precision, language awareness, and literary quality. Those who visit Fürth on this evening will experience not just a mere book presentation, but a concentrated literary experience in close proximity to art. ([tourismus-fuerth.de](https://www.tourismus-fuerth.de/event/lesung-die-erfindung-des-lebens-von-hanns-josef-ortheil-451376-mvk/))

Conclusion: This reading brings one of the important German contemporary authors to Fürth and combines literature, exhibition, and conversation culture into an evening of intellectual appeal. Those who wish to experience Ortheil's language live should mark this date and not miss the author encounter at kultur.lokal.fürth. ([tourismus-fuerth.de](https://www.tourismus-fuerth.de/event/lesung-die-erfindung-des-lebens-von-hanns-josef-ortheil-451376-mvk/))