IX Walter Benjamin Summer School 2024: Reflections on progress and catastrophe

From September 6 to 8, 2024, Portbou hosted the IX Walter Benjamin Summer School, an event dedicated to exploring the thought of this German intellectual with the theme 'Progress and Catastrophe: The fissures of contemporary society' .

Organized by Pilar Parcerisas (Angelus Novus Foundation), Cari Oriol (Associació Passatges) and Vicent Ordóñez (UNED), this new edition of the Arts and Humanities Festival has been a key space for academic and cultural reflection on their ideas.

Walter Benjamin (1892-1940) was a thinker with a unique and independent perspective. Despite being immersed in the currents of his time, such as Marxism and historical materialism, he maintained a critical stance towards the political parties and social democracy of his time. In the 1920s, when the proletariat and communism played a growing role, Benjamin opted for a position outside the dominant political ideologies. He was a strong critic of the link between fascism, capitalism and the masses that emerged in the 20th century, as well as the aestheticization of politics that fascism promoted. His work 'On the Concept of History', written in the last moments of his life, offers a profound critique of the concept of progress as a potentially destructive force. Benjamin saw historical time as a succession of catastrophes, a storm that threatens to collapse and accumulates debris, represented by the “Angel of History”.

Criticism of progress, ecological crisis and the avant-garde

In this edition, the IX Summer School has placed a special emphasis on Benjamin's critique of the concept of progress and his imperialist vision of human dominance over nature in the 20th century. The presentations by Lluís Montull and Paula Kuffer have explored how technical progress has led to excessive exploitation of the environment and has given rise to an imminent ecological crisis. Benjamin foresaw these ecological problems, denouncing the destructive effect of capitalism on natural resources. These ideas are particularly relevant today, when the philosopher's warnings about the dangers of unlimited growth resonate with global environmental crises.

During these summer school days, Benjamin's relationship with various avant-garde movements has also been explored. Maria Mora Tubau's lecture addressed Benjamin's connections with artistic currents such as New Objectivity and surrealism. At the same time, his ideas about the transparency of glass have been reviewed in Scheerbart and the Bauhaus. These explorations have highlighted how Benjamin defended and, at the same time, criticized these trends, contributing to a deeper understanding of his vision of art and modernity.

Centenary of Kafka and tribute to Stefan Zweig

In this edition, the centenary of the death of Franz Kafka was also celebrated. Activities on Kafka, coordinated with UNED faculty, have highlighted the mutual influence between Kafka and Benjamin, revealing how Kafka served as a reflection of Benjamin's existential concerns. In addition, a tribute has been paid to Stefan Zweig with a dramatized reading of his novel 'The Fear', directed by Cari Oriol. This tribute has made it possible to explore the loss of the European values that Zweig represented and its connection with the cultural and political crises of his time.

Presentació del llibre Sonets.

Exhibitions, cinema and sound experiences

The exhibition 'Les fissures de la societat contemporàn', by the Chilean photographer Patricio Salinas, has been one of the highlights of this year's programme. This exhibition, which can be seen until September 22 in the Sala de Duanes of Portbou station, uses the image of ruins as a metaphor for Benjamin's ideas about history and catastrophe.

The radio production 'Ràdio Benjamin', created by Claudia Kálász and Detlef Jesgarz, has offered a sound immersion in the life and thought of Benjamin. In addition, the screening of Fabrizio Ferraro's film 'The Unwanted of Europe' has explored his exile, enriching the understanding of his thought and its current relevance.

Poetic tribute as cleonda

The closing acts of this year's IX edition included several events, particularly highlighting the presentation of the first Catalan translation of Walter Benjamin's Sonnets, a work so far little known within the German philosopher's production. This translation, by Arnau Ferre Samon, has been published by the Angelus Novus Foundation and Edicions Reremús, marking an important step in the dissemination of his poetry in Catalan.

The Sonnets, written between 1914 and 1925, reflect a period of great complexity for Benjamin, influenced by the loss of his friend Fritz Heinle and by the political tensions of the time. The presentation included interventions by experts such as Claudia Kálász, Cari Oriol Serres, Marc Sagnol and the translator himself, who highlighted the importance of this work within Benjamin's philosophical and personal context.

The poetic tribute continued with a recital in the Portbou cemetery, where several poems by Vicenç Altaió, Dolors Miquel, Carles Duarte, Vicenç Llorca, Enric Umbert and Magí Sunyer were read. Also included were texts by Bertolt Brecht and Volker Braun, dedicated to the figure of Benjamin, as well as poems by authors such as Montserrat Vayreda and Jordi Carrió.

From the Summer School, a manifesto was read that vindicated Benjamin's legacy as a cultural and intellectual fighter and not a politician, criticizing the political instrumentalization of his memory. Finally, the event concluded with a musical performance by Portbou soprano Rosa Maria Hoces and cellist Cesc Corominas.

Rosa Maria Hoces i Cesc Corominas a l'acte de cloenda.