Bukowski-Society-Symposium and -yearbook

[roni]

Didn't you speak about it on youtube before?

No. I spoke about it by invitation of the Schopenhauer-Society in Frankfurt in 2006.

 

[Ambreen]

That's fat.

That's fat that doesn't look like fat. You see I'm not the only one to have noticed them, they're really impressive super-hero looking arms.

The wife of the house owner even led Ambreen, Frank from the Bukowski-society and myself upstairs to the flat were Bukowski was born.

We saw the room. We saw the room! WE SAW THE ROOM!
We were the three Chosen Ones! ;)

The whole thing must have been pretty cool. I hope I can make it next year and be there.

Don't forget to bring Zoe, there were too few women there! I'm curious to know what a 5 year old girl thinks of Bukowski. And I'll babysit her while you'll be busy drinking pints with the other dudes.

Here are some other ones, from David's address and the ceremony in the House of birth:

I will later post some pictures of Hank's, the band we listened to on Saturday evening.

 

[cirerita]

I was upstairs, too. I joked a bit with the lady and told her that I could feel the Bukowski spirit in the air, and that the spirit would take good care of her... eventually. She said, "no, no way". And I said, "just be patient. It will happen." She looked at me uncomfortably, not knowing what to say. Understandably.

Then she made me learn a few words in German, which was quite useful as I can't say shit in German.

 

[Johannes]

Maybe she was afraid that you would crack out your ouija board or however you spell that and start hunting down some truly post mortem and unpublished Bukowski stuff right there.

If somebody could do that, it would definitly be you ;)

 

[Ambreen]

I was upstairs, too. I joked a bit with the lady and told her that I could feel the Bukowski spirit in the air, and that the spirit would take good care of her... eventually. She said, "no, no way". And I said, "just be patient. It will happen." She looked at me uncomfortably, not knowing what to say. Understandably.

Johannes translated to me that they didn't know Bukowski before buying the house, they thus didn't buy it purposely. After they learnt that a famous writer was born there, they read some of his books but didn't come to dig him. The man was astounded that a young woman came in Andernach alone from France just for Bukowski, he found it unbelievable that I could love Bukowski to such an extent. His amazement was quite funny.


The band Hank's (they put some Buk poems into music, performed one in the house and then gave a gig in a bar):

(Roni just introduced the band, he didn't perform with them! :D)

 

[Ambreen]

Some pictures of the house and of a little exhibition located in the city hall, just near the meeting room where the addresses were made:

No pictures of Abel's address because he showed us some confidential things!

That's all folks!

 

[Bukfan]

Nice pics! Thanks, Ambreen.

Nice little exhibition at the Town hall. I think they should've filled the ashtray with bidi butts and the beer mug with beer, though. ;)

 

[Johannes]

Johannes translated to me that they didn't know Bukowski before buying the house, they thus didn't buy it purposely. After they learnt that a famous writer was born there, they read some of his books but didn't come to dig him. The man was astounded that a young woman came in Andernach alone from France just for Bukowski, he found it unbelievable that I could love Bukowski to such an extent. His amazement was quite funny.

In his speech the house owner told a story about a group of Japanese suddenly stopping by and wanting to see the room where Bukowski was born, when he didn't even know yet who Bukowski was ;)

And the wife of the house owner told me that when Ambreen first visited the house and took some pictures outside, some local woman walked by and said something like: "Me, I can't stand this Bukowski!"

I get the impression that the feelings concerning Bukowski are kind of mixed in Andernach. Not to insult anyone, they are all very nice people, at least the ones I met, but I think some of them are not too happy about him and his books. How could you say this diplomatically, if the new German avantgarde is about to rise from its cradle, it's very unlikely that this cradle will be Andernach, I think. But you could say this about a lot of towns, of course.

So I think it is a very good thing that especially you guys, Ambreen and David and Abel, came to visit the town (and hopefully will continue to do so). Even if you are not doing anything but just standing there, it gives the people something to think about. Like "How comes this dirty old drunkard with his filthy sex stories gets people coming all the way from France and Spain and maybe even Japan to visit his house of birth??"

It helps the cause, I think.

 

[Black Swan]

Very nice pictures. I thought of ya'll.

 

[roni]

here's a pic of the group in front of the birthplace.

unfortunately, David is well hidden behind Hanks cousin.

 

[Black Swan]

Falco is the only one keeping with the spirit here, although I heard that David was also in a rather festive mode.
Good to see you all! Thank you for the pics!

 

[zenguru]

Wow, roni. Awesome pictures! I truly wish I could someday attend a Bukowski bash such as that. And Ambreen, is that Buk's typewriter I saw? And an unfinished poem still in it?

 

[mjp]

is that Buk's typewriter I saw?

No.

 

[Petey]

The whole thing must have been really pretty cool again I will be there next year for sure!

 

[Ambreen]

In his speech the house owner told a story about a group of Japanese suddenly stopping by and wanting to see the room where Bukowski was born, when he didn't even know yet who Bukowski was ;)

Maybe Yoko Shibata was one of them:


(I found this vid months ago but didn't know where to put it, so thanks for sharing this anecdote with us :D)

is that Buk's typewriter I saw? And an unfinished poem still in it?

I myself wondered about the typewriter, the mug and the ashtray but as I was alone when I took the pictures, there was no one to ask the question to; so I deduced from the absence of any caption that these were just three objects symbolizing Bukowski put here as pieces of decoration.

I truly wish I could someday attend a Bukowski bash such as that.

I looked in the dictionary for the word "bash" and I can tell you this Symposium unfortunately wasn't a big party. The attendants were few, a kind of little circle. I wasn't expecting to find as many people as in a Michael Jackson Symposium but I couldn't help being startled by the scarce number of attendants from Andernach; I thought that more of them would take part to such an event. But as Johannes diplomatically put it, there is no collective proud of living in the place where Bukowski was born. Anyway, we were not numerous but the whole thing was cool!

So I think it is a very good thing that especially you guys, Ambreen and David and Abel, came to visit the town (and hopefully will continue to do so).

And you too!

 

[zenguru]

No.

Ah, well. It would have been awesome if it were. Does Buk's typewriter even still exist?

 

[Johannes]

Maybe Yoko Shibata was one of them: (I found this vid months ago but didn't know where to put it, so thanks for sharing this anecdote with us :D)

Jesus. That's scary. What the hell is she doing there?

And you too!

Sure, but I don't have the sort of "exotic bonus" you guys bring along. The people there look at me and think I am another German, which, as we all know, is completely WRONG ... but what can I do.

The typer, the ashtray and the mug are decoration for sure, to symbolize the "Bukowski-feeling". This is a very German/Austrian typical beer mug, I would be surprised if Bukowski ever owned something like that or drank out of it.

Besides, we all know he just gulped it down out of dozens of bottles like a real man between screwing some whore and betting on the horses.

 

[Ponder]

like a real man between screwing some whore and betting on the horses.

You're describing me. Thanks, brah.

 

[Ambreen]

Jesus. That's scary. What the hell is she doing there?

Yoko's too loud, you know how I HATE that; I'd gladly punch her to make her stop shouting like this.

Sure, but I don't have the sort of "exotic bonus" you guys bring along. The people there look at me and think I am another German, which, as we all know, is completely WRONG ... but what can I do.

The next time, just tell them it took you 7 hours by train to come there from Salzbourg and they'll all stare at you abashed. ;)

 

[1fsh2fsh]

Maybe Yoko Shibata was one of them

now that's funny. I have no idea what she's saying but she dosen't seem happy. still, I'd let her yell at me for a night or two.....

 

[james]

Topic of my address were the similarities of Bukowski with Nietzsche and Schopenhauer.
Nothing new to you folks here, but most of the attendants didn't know much about it.

roni, is there any way to read this? i would certainly be interested, as i'm sure a few others would be too.
and thanks to you, ambreen, johannes and abel for the info and photos and etc...sounds like a great time.

 

[hoochmonkey9]

ditto everything james just said.

 

[roni]

roni, is there any way to read this?

HERE's a short abstract.


Maybe one day I'll have somebody translate it.

The address only gives a first insight. The subject would make for a whole book.

 

[Black Swan]

Way to do Roni! Keep up with these lucubrations.

 

[zenguru]

Black Swan, I almost thought you said something else. Or maybe you did.

 

[Black Swan]

Zg, I did not say lubrications.

 

[james]

thanks for the link, roni! i'm gonna dig into it later this evening...

 

[Bukfan]

Thanks, Roni! Interesting stuff.

 

[roni]

you're welcome.
The whole thing is much more informative and FUN when I provide the matching quotes of the three. Didn't have the patience to find the proper English translations of the quotes I used.

 

[number6horse]

Ha ! Great photos all around