Derivation of the Latin word littera, the “letter”

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The word literature is a derivation of the Latin word littera, the “letter,” which only became fashionable in the early modern period. The plural litterae acquired its own meanings as early as antiquity as “written material,” “documents,” “letters,” “learning,” “science(s).” In French and English, this meaning was retained in the terms lettres and letters as a synonym for “science”.

Reflection: “Media and Freedom” conference in Izmir

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Reflection: “Media and Freedom” conference in Izmir

We were only too happy to accept the invitation of the Goethe Institute in Izmir to take part in the conference “Media and Freedom”, which, to get a quick conclusion, was both in terms of timing and due to the current relevance of the Mohammed caricatures and the currently discussed film “Innocence of Muslims” and the content of the selection of speakers from Turkey and Germany could not have been better.

Nevfel Cumart - co-author and reviews

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Nevfel Cumart - co-author and reviews

We, the entire Alaturka editorial team, are very pleased to be able to introduce you, dear readers of the portal, to another co-author, Nevfel Cumart, who will present books, stories or poetry by Turkish or German-Turkish authors in the future.

Max - the blackbird chick - Werner Koschan

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Max - the blackbird chick - Werner Koschan

Whit Monday evening around 9:30 p.m., Night is slowly falling. My wife and I retreated to the living room after a wonderful day that we spent almost entirely in the garden. It has become noticeably damp outside.

Of the Unrighteousness of God - Nevfel Cumart

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Of the Unrighteousness of God - Nevfel Cumart

Mathias Enard's adventure and bildungsroman takes place around the Mediterranean Sea and addresses the current crises in Islamic societies - A review by Nevfel Cumart

Tulumba Pastries and The Idecik Saints

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Tulumba Pastries and The Idecik Saints

It's Santa Claus. This date is also honoured at home by Filiz Penzkofer - although her Bavarian father knows other traditions than what the Turkish grandmother makes of this Christian festival.

Doğan Akhanlı and the indivisibility of human rights

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Doğan Akhanlı and the indivisibility of human rights

The writer Doğan Akhanlı, born in 1957 in Şavşat in the province of Artvin, is regarded in the western hemisphere as a true advocate of human rights, which he emphatically demands from the political rulers, probably also because of his own life experience in Turkey.

Sebastian Fitzek - The very special reading show

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Sebastian Fitzek - The very special reading show

As one of the most successful German thriller authors of modern times, Sebastian Fitzek can look back on a great career in the field of thriller and crime literature, especially in recent years.

Carnival Cologne 2013 viewed from above – Werner Koschan

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Carnival Cologne 2013 viewed from above – Werner Koschan

"I want to go to the parade," says my wife Rita. She means the carnival procession in our district. This is one of the small clubs that decorate their floats and parade through the streets of their district of Cologne with little money but all the more attention to detail.

Imagine it's war time and nobody goes

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Imagine it's war time and nobody goes

It was this quote, which is commonly and often attributed to Berthold Brecht, that we found among other graffiti under a car bridge in Weil and thus obliged us to do a little research.

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