New edition of the original edition of ‘Pendu à Auschwitz’ by Sim Kessel

Founded by the resistance fighter Raoul Raviola under his nom de guerre, Éditions Solar published the autobiography of the resistance fighter and Auschwitz survivor Sim Kessel in 1970, entitled ‘Pendu à Auschwitz’.

The work was awarded the ‘Prix littéraire de la Résistance’ in 1970.

After this important work had been out of print for many years and could only be found as a second-hand book, it is now being re-released in 2024 by our Franco-German book publishing house ‘Les Éditions du Crieur Public’. The English language version will also be available again soon. In addition, translations into Spanish and Polish are in progress.

Here is a first summary of the autobiography ‘Pendu à Auschwitz’:
In the dark turmoil of history, there are stories that emerge like rays of light in the darkness. This is much more than a chronicle of suffering; it is the story of infinite courage and resilience and the indelible power of hope.
Beyond Horror is an homage to the triumph of the human spirit, even in the face of unspeakable horror. In a world where forgetting threatens to erase the lessons of the past, this book stands as a living memorial, reminding us all of the importance of remembering, understanding and, above all, never ceasing to hope.
Sim Kessel survived the depths of terror in Auschwitz to rise like a phoenix from the ashes of inhumanity. Between the lines of this story, the voices of those who died in silence can also be heard.

Tal Waldman: « Drawing Inward »

Tal Waldman, a multidisciplinary artist, is the recipient of the Grand Prix Dessin from the Taylor Foundation in 2023, as well as the Excellence Award from the American University of Paris and Modern Art Energy Japan at the Festival of Sacred Art in Compiègne in 2021. She also won the Grand Prix for Environmental Art at the Salon d’Automne in 2016, and the City of Paris Award in 2009 for her contemporary perspectives on jacquard tapestry. Her sculptures and drawings are part of public and private collections, notably in the department of Aube.

Tal’s solo exhibitions, such as “La Voie d’Expérimentation” at the Cité du Vitrail in Troyes (2023) and “Mémoires Brodées” at the Museum of Art and Industry La Piscine in Roubaix (2016), as well as her presence at international art fairs and galleries, highlight her engagement with the public. Her recent publications, including “Visualizing the Invisible” (2022) and “La Voie d’Expérimentation” (2023), reflect her extensive research. Her work has been featured in media outlets such as RFILe MondeElle DécorationArtensionArgument, and others.

Focused on Deep Ecology, Tal explores the interconnection between nature, consciousness, and society through various artistic mediums. She sheds light on spiritual, social, and ecological themes, addressing topics such as perception, mindfulness, interdependence, femininity, the collective memory of immigrants, the circular economy, and ecological production.

Nicole Lamothe, art critic, wrote in the catalog of the 2023 Taylor Foundation Grand Prix for Watercolor:
“Research is a constant for this artist, who explores all possibilities of visual creation to convey her reflection on our behavior and reactions to life. Consciousness, chance, and the subconscious merge in her work. Tal Waldman studied painting, drawing, and architecture, leading to works that are often highly structured, combining figuration and abstraction. Her travels in Africa, Asia, and Europe partly fuel her creation, which balances order and disorder. Often produced in series, her compositions don’t tell a story but rather explore an intimate perception of the world, like a meditation. Waldman seeks to express the invisible and depict the close relationships between spirit and body, themes she deepens in her series that intertwine reflection and dreamlike qualities. Blended colors and light are fundamental in this process, creating between chance and control. Forms merge in an elegant, colorful mosaic. Today, her drawings have grown larger, inviting multiple interpretations: organic forms, cosmic space. The relationship between body, mind, and art is at the core of Waldman’s research, forming a body of work that is innovative and timeless.”

The work ‘Drawing Inward’ was published on the occasion of her exhibition at the AYN Gallery in Paris, 20, rue Saint Louis en l’Ile, in 2024. It was published bilingually in French and English.
The book was created in co-operation with AYN Gallery.

Ali El Hadj

The author of “Les Fondateurs” is Ali El Hadj Tahar, an Algerian journalist and art critic, who played an essential role in promoting Algerian artists and culture during his service at the Ministry of Culture in Algiers. His English Literature studies at the University of Algiers laid the foundations for an exceptional career. In 1974, he began collaborating with francophone newspapers, including Alger RéalitésAlgérie-Actualité, and El Moudjahid. In 1984, he became a professional journalist at Révolution Africaine, marking the beginning of a distinguished career in various newspapers and magazines, specializing in art criticism. His contributions include numerous studies on art, culture, cities, and society, as well as portraits of poets and writers. He also played a key role in shedding light on the life and work of many Algerian visual artists. Ali El Hadj Tahar is also a painter and poet, adding a creative dimension to his rich career.

Ali El Hadj: « Les Fondateurs»

The in French language published book “Les Fondateurs” is part of a series of works dedicated to Algerian painting by the author of the famous Encyclopedia of Algerian Poetry in the French Language, 157 Poets, 1930-2008, published in 2009. Other titles include: The Figure and its Presence, Abstraction and Avant-garde, The Sign, Naive Art, Miniature and Illumination. The Algerian Painting series covers all genres and styles, from the most classical to the most avant-garde, presenting all the great Algerian artists. From Khadda to Issiakhem, including Baya, Guermaz, Bourdine, Nezzar, Mokrani, Nedjai, Martinez, Larbi, Khimoune, Belkhorissat, Bettina, or Ziani. Each of these books begins with an in-depth introduction that addresses the aesthetic aspects and historical context of plastic creation in Algeria. From rock art and prehistoric art, through Orientalists and the first artists of Algerian origin—such as Mammeri, Hemche, Boukerche, Khadda, Issiakhem, and the Aouchem group—to painters who emerged in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and even 2000s.

The work Les Fondateurs presents the twenty-six Algerian artists who began practicing easel painting at the beginning of the twentieth century. Ali Ali-Khodja, Jean-Michel Atlan, Abdellah Benanteur, Miloud Boukerche, Mohamed Bouzid, Abdelkader Guermaz, Abdelhalim Hemche, M’Hamed Issiakhem, Mohamed Khadda, Mohamed Louail, Azwaw Mammeri, Choukri Mesli, Mohamed Temam, Abderahmane Sahouli, Mohamed Zmirli, as well as European-born Algerians Dinet, Jean De Maisonseul, Maria Manton, and Louis Nallard.

Ali El Hadj Tahar, an Algerian journalist and art critic, played an essential role in promoting Algerian artists and culture during his service at the Ministry of Culture in Algiers. His English Literature studies at the University of Algiers laid the foundations for an exceptional career. In 1974, he began collaborating with francophone newspapers, including Alger RéalitésAlgérie-Actualité, and El Moudjahid. In 1984, he became a professional journalist at Révolution Africaine, marking the beginning of a distinguished career in various newspapers and magazines, specializing in art criticism. His contributions include numerous studies on art, culture, cities, and society, as well as portraits of poets and writers. He also played a key role in shedding light on the life and work of many Algerian visual artists. Ali El Hadj Tahar is also a painter and poet, adding a creative dimension to his rich career.

The book was created in co-operation with AYN Gallery.

 

Author Armin Steinbach

In his debut novel ‘Niemandsland’, Armin Steinbach tells of origins and family, youth, love and the centre of life. What can keep us going when life gets out of sync?
ARMIN STEINBACH was born in Hamburg in 1978, where he graduated from the Christianeum in 1998. He subsequently studied law and economics in Berlin, Munich and Bonn on a scholarship from the German National Academic Foundation.
In 2003 he passed his first state examination in law, in 2004 he graduated in economics in Berlin and in 2008 he passed his second state examination in law.
He received his doctorate in law from the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and his doctorate in economics from the University of Erfurt.
After working at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva and as a lawyer in Brussels, he joined the ministerial service in Berlin as a civil servant in 2009. From there, he moved to the Bundestag as economic policy advisor to Frank Walter Steinmeier, the leader of the opposition at the time.
Steinbach completed his habilitation at the Max Planck Institute for Public Goods and the University of Bonn in 2017. His habilitation thesis Rational Legislation received several awards. After his return to ministerial service, he headed the economic policy policy department at the Federal Ministry of Economics and subsequently the fiscal policy policy department at the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
In 2021, Steinbach accepted an appointment as a full professor at the École des hautes études commerciales (HEC) in Paris.
He lives and teaches in Paris and Geneva.

Niemandsland von Armin Steinbach

Armin Steinbach erzählt in seinem Debütroman »Niemandsland« von Herkunft und Familie, von Jugend, Liebe und von der Mitte des Lebens. Was kann uns halten, wenn das Leben aus dem Takt gerät?

Berlin 2035. Die Klimakrise ist dank Technologie besiegt. Auch Karl fährt wie auf Schienen. Es geht aufwärts, in Karriere und privat. Doch dann bricht ein Flüchtlingsstrom in die Festung Europa ein. Die Welle erfasst auch Karl. Die eigene Familiengeschichte, Flucht und Vertreibung, holen ihn ein. Etwas gerät ins Rutschen. Sein Schicksal ist verwoben mit dem seiner Jugendfreundin Friederike, die in jungen Jahren mit hehren Idealen den Anspruch verfolgt, die Welt besser zu machen. Eine Reihe persönlicher Enttäuschungen und von der Fortschrittseuphorie gesäte Zweifel an ihren Idealen führen zu Desillusion und leidlichem Arrange­ ment mit den Gegebenheiten.

Ein Auszug;
»Sein Loft atmete den Zeitgeist mit verschwenderischer Lust. Mit dem Aufzug stieg er empor ins Penthouse, und wenngleich er auch
die Namen der Künstler, deren Werke er auf seinen Wochenendstreifzügen erworben hatte, immer wieder vergaß, war es doch ein sättigendes Gefühl, das ihn ergriff, wenn er im Kamin die groben Scheite lodern sah und
auf ihr Knallen wartete, wobei das Knallen auch zerplatzte Träume hätten sein können, die sich durch den Schlot gemeinsam mit dem Gefühl verflüchtigten, dass mit ihm, dass mit der Welt etwas nicht stimmte.«

ARMIN STEINBACH geboren 1978 in Hamburg, studierte Rechts­wissenschaft und Ökonomie in Berlin, München und Bonn. Er ist Professor an der École des hautes études commerciales (HEC) in Paris. Er lebt und lehrt in Paris und Genf.

Marion Boehm: De Fil et de Rencontres

Marion Boehm has lived in South Africa since 2010, launching her artistic career in Johannesburg by exploring the links between African and Western cultures. Involved in community projects in Kliptown, her work, a reflection of personal experiences, addresses socio-economic and cultural issues through unique artistic series. Based in Germany, her captivating collages fuse artistic integrity, conceptual vision and aesthetic beauty, defining a singular and committed artistic voice.

The work ‘DE FIL ET DE RENCONTRES’ was published on the occasion of Marion Böhm’s exhibition at the AYN Gallery in Paris, 20, rue Saint Louis en l’Ile, in 2023. It was published bilingually in French and English. The book was created in cooperation with AYN Gallery.

Hermann E. Schütte: “Das mausgraue Männlein und andere Märchen”

“Das mausgraue Männlein und andere Märchen” was rediscovered 74 years after its first publication. It is a fairytale journey into the big, wide world of fantasy, dreams, values and an examination of the questions of life. The fairy tales deal with sibling love, vanity, revenge, love, envy, forgiveness, resentment, generosity, helpfulness, the loss of a loved one, lies, deceit, honour and humanity.

Continue reading Hermann E. Schütte: “Das mausgraue Männlein und andere Märchen”

Esther Benbassa, Being Jewish after Gaza – German edition

The book Being Jewish after Gaza has been translated into German language, the Titel of the French original is “Etre juif après Gaza”. It is an ethical outcry by the renowned Jewish professor Esther Benbassa in response to the suffering of the civilian population of Gaza during Israel’s last campaign. For her, the memory of the Jews exterminated by the Holocaust obliges Israel to behave humanely and ethically. She shows how the Shoah shapes the Israeli and Jewish self-understanding and deduces from the commemoration of the Holocaust the imperative to also recognise the suffering of the Palestinians. At the same time, she does not excuse Palestinian politicians for missing opportunities for peace or for terrorism. She defends Israel’s existence, advocates for a Palestinian state and analyses the reasons for missed opportunities for peace. This book is sparking intense debate in France and is a bestseller there.

Excerpts from the French press:

L’Express…
a controversial but courageous book that sounds like a cry of alarm….

Libération…
a book that is very dense, very dark and very clear at the same time….

Le Nouvel Observateur…
appreciate the author’s ability to present such complex issues so clearly and simply….

Le Monde…
for her, the solution is a peace that has been forced upon them….

You can purchase the book here and the e-book is available here.

Sim Kessel: “Hanged in Auschwitz” – The autobiography of a survivor

In 2019, on the 100th anniversary of his birth, the story of survival and suffering by and about Sim Kessel was published. The young Frenchman, Jew and professional boxer, wrote his autobiography about the years 1940-45 in 1969, describing how he survived against all odds in Auschwitz and other concentration and extermination camps of the Nazi regime.

Cover picture Sim Kesel, Hanged in Auschwitz, Crieur Public

Continue reading Sim Kessel: “Hanged in Auschwitz” – The autobiography of a survivor

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