Antitext
Image: Literaturmuseum Charkiw
Touring exhibition
German Museum of Books and Writing at the German National Library in Leipzig
1 July 2025 to 31 July 2025
Our cultural memory defines who we are. Texts are instruments of this memory. But what happens to texts which do not conform with the state's official ideology, which become "anti-texts" and remain hidden or are even destroyed?
Conceived by the literary museum in Kharkiv, the exhibition "Antitext" traces Ukraine's complex literary history with this question in mind. It not only explores the impact of the totalitarian Soviet regime on Ukrainian literature and culture during the 20th century but also takes a look at the current situation. The objective of "Antitext" is to illustrate how texts shape our cultural memory and how forgotten or censored works influence our lives.
The exhibition shows how the Soviet Union almost wiped out Ukraine's literary heritage during the 20th century by censoring texts and persecuting Ukrainian authors. Authors suffered political persecution and repression, and their works were hidden in special archives that remained closed to the public for decades. "Antitext" not only sheds light on this difficult chapter of history but also raises the key question of how these losses have impacted the identity and cultural memory of Ukraine. Would Ukraine or Europe be different today if we had had access to these texts? If these writers had lived and kept on writing rather than being murdered or suppressed?
This historical narrative is being perpetuated in Russia's current war of aggression against Ukraine. The aggressor's actions go beyond military attacks and are directed against Ukrainian culture itself: artists in the occupied territories are being killed, cultural institutions destroyed, Ukrainian books removed from libraries and schools, museums and archives looted. Ukrainian curricula are being replaced by Russian ones.
There are no traditional museum artefacts on display at this exhibition. This is symbolic of the situation currently facing Ukrainian museums, in which cultural heritage has to be hidden to preserve it for future generations. However, the exhibition does show works by Ukrainian authors which the Ukrainians have managed to protect and preserve despite all attempts at destruction.
The theme of the exhibition ties in with the permanent exhibition at the German Museum of Books and Writing (DBSM), which explores 5,000 years of media history. Divided into eleven modules, the DBSM's exhibition presents media history as the history of freedom of speech. This is particularly apparent in the module on "censorship", which uses 19 examples drawn from media history. "Antitext" expands on this chapter. "Antitext" also builds on the exhibition "before/after", held in 2023, which focused on the destruction of cultural institutions in Ukraine and set the stage for the DBSM's acquisition of two fellowships for writers in exile. The exhibition was also accompanied by a series of events at the museum during which exiled Ukrainians read from their texts.
The exhibition "Antitext", curated by Kharkiv Literary Museum, is now being hosted in Leipzig after spending time at locations such as Graz and Berlin.
Information for your visit
Opening hours and admission
Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00
Thursday 10:00 to 20:00
Public holidays 10:00 to 18:00 (except 24 to 26 December, 31 December and 1 January)
Closed on Mondays
Admission free
Accessibility
The exhibition has barrier-free access.
Address and getting here
German National Library
Deutscher Platz 1
04103 Leipzig
Getting here
We advise you to use public transport.
1 / By public transport
By rail
From the main railway station, take S-Bahn S1 in the direction of Riesa, S2 in the direction of Markkleeberg-Gaschwitz, S3 in the direction of Stötteritz or S5/S5X in the direction of Zwickau. Journey time approx. 7 minutes, get off at “Leipzig MDR”. Exit onto Semmelweisstraße, then turn right and continue for 800 m to the intersection at Straße des 18. Oktober.
Alternatively, take tram line 16 from platform 2 in front of the main railway station (in the direction of Lößnig) and get off at “Deutsche Nationalbibliothek”. Journey time approx. 11 minutes.
By air
From Leipzig/Halle airport, take S-Bahn S5/S5X in the direction of Zwickau. Journey time approx. 30 minutes, get off at “Leipzig MDR”. Exit onto Semmelweisstraße, then turn right and continue for 400 m to the intersection at Straße des 18. Oktober.
2 / By bike
The German National Library in Leipzig can easily be reached by bike. You can get to the DNB by taking the cycle paths on Straße des 18. Oktobers, Semmelweißstraße, and Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße. A cycle lane also runs past the DNB's main entrance. Numerous bicycle parking spaces are available along this lane and at the main entrance to the German Museum of Books and Writing. The bicycle racks in front of the museum are covered.
Besides taking the cycle lane, you can reach the bicycle parking spaces via a passageway from the junction of Semmelweißstraße/Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße through the DNB's tower courtyard.
3 / By car
Approaching from the north
Take the A9 to the Schkeuditzer Kreuz intersection, continue on the A14 towards Dresden and take the Leipzig-Mitte (city centre) exit; continue on the B2 towards Leipzig city centre as far as the intersection at Prager Straße/Semmelweisstraße (follow the signs for “Deutsche Nationalbibliothek”).
Approaching from the south and east
Take the A9 or A14, change to the A38 and continue to the Leipzig-Süd exit; change to the B2 and continue to the Südvorstadt exit; turn right into Kurt-Eisner-Straße and continue to the German National Library.
4 / Accessibility
The German National Library in Leipzig has disabled parking spaces right in front of the building. The entrance for disabled visitors is signposted. The reading rooms and cafeteria are accessible by lift.
Last changes:
02.06.2025
