Opening of polenmARkT 2025 with a reading by Konrad Bogusław Bach (author, Guben)

For the festive opening of polenmARkT 2025, author Konrad Bogusław Bach invites the audience to immerse themselves in the world of his highly acclaimed debut novel Der Wisent. With subtle humor, quiet melancholy and surprising twists, he unfolds a story that is both profound and entertaining.
It centers on two friends, Heniek and Andrzej, who set off from a small Polish village to get Heniek's wife Beatka back - she has suddenly disappeared after 36 years of marriage. Their journey takes them along the "highway of freedom" to Germany and on across Europe. The search for Beatka turns into a crazy odyssey full of encounters that not only shake their friendship, but also their view of the world. In Der Wisent, Konrad Bogusław Bach tells a tragicomic, moving and linguistically powerful story of home and loss, friendship and new beginnings, of the search for belonging in a changing world.

The author was born in Poland in 1984, grew up in Hanover and now lives with his family in Guben/Gubin on the German-Polish border. With Der Wisent, he presents a debut novel that has been praised by critics for both its literary power and its subtle tone between comedy and seriousness.

Musical accompaniment for the festival opening: Hania Nafali
The Polish-born, Berlin-based musician, composer and producer combines world music, Slavic roots and rock elements in her solo project to create a unique universe of sound. With her charismatic stage presence, she inspires audiences worldwide - from intimate clubs to large stages.