VISITING
AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE
OCTOBER
2009
GREETINGS FROM
NOVI SAD/NEUSATZ
|
Karen
Karbiener |
Dear
Dr. Thornton,
As a reader of your website and as a Danube-Swabian descendent, I
am happy to share the news that I am currently on a U.S. Fulbright grant
in Serbia, researching and writing a book about my family's Vojvodina
roots. I write to you from Novi Sad, where I am based at the
University here until the end of December 2009. In February 2007, I
gave a lecture on my book project at New York University's Deutsches Haus,
and some of your members were kind enough to attend (Edward Grünwald
generously gave me a copy of his book).
I write this to you, to let members know a few significant items:
firstly, that both the U.S. and Serbian governments have fully approved of
this project; secondly, that I am interested in hearing from your members
that are familiar with the Batschka town of Sekitsch (now Lovcenac), or
with members of my family (my father Phillipp, grandmother Margaret (born
Karbiener) and grandfather Phillipp).
Another interesting tidbit: my presence here has encouraged two of
my cousins (Lisa Karbiner and Michelle Karbiner-Ball) to begin making
plans for a fall visit! We're looking forward to a reunion in the
land of our fathers-- and I believe this will be an overwhelming emotional
experience, as my tenure here in Vojvodina proves to be.
Please let me know if you require any further information. I
am running a blog that documents my experience researching for my book,
and teaching a Master Class on the American poet Walt Whitman (I am a
professor of literature at New York University, when I'm not in the
Balkans!): http://karbiener.lookingforwhitman.org.
Many thanks, and warm greetings from Novi Sad/Neusatz!
Karen Karbiener
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