Südtirol

Swimming in Lake Kaltern, summer strolls through the spa town of Merano, skiing and hiking in the "most beautiful building in the world," the Dolomites: South Tyrol is a year-round vacation paradise. The region has a tumultuous and conflict-laden history involving Italy, Austria, and Germany. Traces of this history can be found not only in the culinary scene and the rustic translations of place and family names but also in a distinctive literature. Local writers enjoy Schlutzkrapfen and Canederli, dive after the church tower in Lake Resia, encounter a beautiful world and wicked people, experience mountain and breakfast, sing whimsical odes to Brunico, and remember the forced Italianization during fascism. Featuring German-language texts and translations from Italian and Ladin by Marco Balzano, Roberta Dapunt, Oswald Egger, Maddalena Fingerle, Claus Gatterer, Lilli Gruber, Francesca Melandri, Maxi Obexer, Joseph Zoderer, and many others.