With the new edition of “Mike Oldfield im Schaukelstuhl. Notizen eines Vaters” (“Mike Oldfield in a Rocking Chair. Notes of a Father”) to mark the 100th anniversary of Werner Lindemann’s birth, Edition Schwarzer Balken is once again making an important autobiographically inspired work of GDR literature available to readers. First published in 1988, the book tells of the difficult father-son relationship between Werner Lindemann and his then 19-year-old son Till, offering insights into family conflicts, differing views of life, and the tensions between generations in the late GDR.
The "Schwarzer Balken" edition was created in 2023 within the context of the collaborative project "Am Sonntag muss ich sterben" and has since occupied an independent position in the interplay of literature, poetry, and visual art.
Founded by Till Lindemann, Bodo Blank, and editor Alvaro Rebolledo Godoy, the edition sees itself as a platform for expressive and carefully designed publications.
Particular attention is paid to the craftsmanship and uniqueness of each individual volume.
The series kicked off in 2025 with the three-volume poetry edition by Till Lindemann ("Messer", "In stillen Nächten", "100"). This is now followed by a double volume that broadens the view of the literary environment: to Gitta Lindemann, a keenly observant cultural journalist, and Werner Lindemann, a renowned children's book author – Till Lindemann's parents. "Lautlos" makes previously unpublished poems by Gitta Lindemann from the 1980s and 1990s accessible; "Stationen" by Werner Lindemann was first and only published in the GDR in 1957 and remained without a new edition.
Additional publications are in the works.
