The Stefan Zweig Archives in Reed Library received a visit in October 2013 by Dr. Arturo Larcati, an Italian Germanist who teaches at the University of Verona, Italy, and lives in Salzburg, Austria, that will further enhance SUNY Fredonia’s connection to the acclaimed Austrian-Jewish writer of the early 20th century.
Dr. Chiara De Santi of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and coordinator of the minor in Italian Studies interviewed Larcati on Zweig, a prominent Austrian intellectual during the first four decades of the 20th century. The interview, conducted in Italian and with the German translation, has been published online in "Insula europea".
The English version of the interview, translated by Dr. De Santi with biographies of all personalities mentioned in the interview, is forthcoming. “An Interview about Stefan Zweig: Austrian-Italian-American Perspectives” will appear in L’Anello che non tiene: Journal of Modern Italian Literature Vol. 25 (Spring-Fall 2013).
Dr. Birger Vanwesenbeeck of the Department of English and co-chair of the Stefan Zweig symposium held four years ago at SUNY Fredonia, suggested the Larcati interview. Drs. De Santi and Larcati are currently working together on a book chapter tentatively titled, “Italy in Stefan Zweig’s Idea of Europe,” which will be published in a volume dedicated to Austrian-Italian encounters in modern literature, film, and culture.
Reed Library Director Randy Gadikian will fly to Austria in March to present some important documents from the Zweig archives, which will be displayed in an exhibition in Vienna, Austria, devoted to the Austrian intellectual. Gadikian will be present at the opening of the exhibition on April 2 before returning to the U.S.
Emeritus History Professor Thomas Morrissey and Gerda Morrissey, reference librarian and curator of the Zweig archives, helped to welcome Dr. Larcati to SUNY Fredonia.
