LAST WORDS. Lecture, staged reading and discussion
There is one way for regime critics in Russia to express their opinions uncensored: during their last word in the courtroom. Before being sentenced to long prison terms, many people take the opportunity to tell the truth without embellishment. These last words from artists, journalists, local politicians and people who stand up for freedom, democracy and the rule of law will be read in the detention center of the Bautzner Straße Dresden memorial.
Oleg Orlov, co-founder of the human rights organization Memorial, which was banned in Russia in 2021 and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, will open the event. He was only released in August 2024 in a prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries.
Norbert Anger (1st concertmaster of the violoncellos of the Staatskapelle Dresden), Sarah Schmidt and Ahmad Mesgarha (both Staatsschauspiel Dresden) will create the evening based on an idea by Ulrike Gärtner.
The reading will be followed by a discussion with Oleg Orlow and Uta Gerlant (Memorial Germany, co-editor of the book “‘Everything can change’ Last words of political defendants in court in Russia”).
Admission is free, donations are requested.
Please register at christine.buecher@denk-mal-dresden.de
The texts read are published in the book “‘Alles kann sich ändern’ Letzte Worte politisch Angeklagter vor Gericht in Russland”, published by Memorial Deutschland e.V..
Photographs and video recordings will be made during the event. These will be used by the memorial exclusively for public relations purposes (including social media). If you do not wish to appear in these recordings, please contact the staff on site.
The organizers would like to point out that there is only limited seating available in the detention house.
The event is a cooperation between the artist Ulrike Gärtner and the Bautzner Straße Dresden Memorial and is sponsored by the Office for Culture and Monument Protection of the state capital.
