Exhibition:
Stefan Zweig. Citizen oft he world
Curators: Bernhard Fetz, Arnhilt Inguglia-Höfle, Arturo Larcati
Exhibition design: zunder zwo
An exhibition of The Literature Museum of the Austrian National Library and The Stefan Zweig Centre Salzburg in cooperation with The Literature Archive Salzburg.
With the kind support of The Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport, and The Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.
Polish translation commissioned by The Austrian Cultural Forum Warsaw: Ryszard Turczyn
Editing: Monika Gromala
Organizers: Austrian Cultural Forum in Warsaw, Austrian Library in Opole

Stefan Zweig (1881–1942) remains to this day one of the most widely read German-language authors worldwide. In 1952, on the tenth anniversary of his famous colleague’s death, Thomas Mann wrote: “His literary fame reached into the remotest corners of the earth.” Many contemporaries responded to Zweig’s global renown with admiration, but also with sharp criticism.

A key foundation of his success was certainly the worldwide network of publishers, translators, and intellectuals that this globally active writer built and maintained. Not only was Zweig enormously productive, he was also a skilled agent of his own work, as materials from his estate attest.

But where does the enduring appeal of Zweig’s texts come from, as evidenced by the many translations, adaptations, and film versions spanning from Europe to China? With his psychological sensitivity and his gift for telling compelling stories in which he could also bring historical figures vividly back to life, Zweig created works that belong to the canon of world literature. Which aspects of his life or work have attracted special attention in different countries and eras? Already as a young author he regarded himself as a citizen of the world. With great curiosity, Zweig undertook countless journeys to many parts of the globe. His writing is unimaginable without the rhythm of travel. This fascination with the foreign, including with the unexplored regions within ourselves, continues to resonate with many readers.

The characters and settings of Zweig’s fiction lead us on a journey around the globe. The exhibition presents three examples: the “historical miniatures” of Decisive Moments in History are set in different epochs and regions of the world. In Magellan: The Man and His Deed (1938), the author takes his readers on the arduous voyage of the Portuguese navigator. The novella Amok (1922) is set in the former Dutch colony of the East Indies (today Indonesia).

After a brief patriotic phase at the beginning of the First World War, Stefan Zweig became a convinced pacifist, engaging in various projects for world peace. To this day, Zweig is regarded as a representative of a supranational ideal of humanity and as a forerunner of a united Europe. His message to posterity is the utopia of a peaceful world without borders.

1-31.10.2025
Voivodeship Public Library in Opole 
ul. Piastowska 18-19 (ground floor)
Opole
Free entry