Homage to a Longtime Friend

The recently deceased Karl Dedecius appreciated and utilized cultural diversity as a builder of bridges between Poland and Germany. His legacy seems more relevant than ever in today's Europe. On the occasion of his 95th birthday on May 20, 2016, he was honored with a tribute event.
Robert Bosch Stiftung | May 2016

"The terms ‘state’ and ‘nation’ meant nothing to me, but the terms ‘human’ and ‘culture’ did," said Karl Dedecius back in 2015. Dedecius, a longtime friend and partner of the Robert Bosch Stiftung, recently passed away. Since 2003, a dual prize for German and Polish translators has borne his name.

Born in 1921 in cosmopolitan and religiously diverse Łódź (Poland), he appreciated and tirelessly harnessed cultural diversity in his role as a builder of bridges between Germany and Poland in the postwar years – whether as a source of inspiration or for communication, dialog, and fruitful partnership. His humanistic legacy seems more relevant than ever in modern-day Europe. On the occasion of his 95th birthday on May 20, 2016, he was honored with a tribute event.