Gothic Identity Lectures & Readings

24/05/2026

Tomorrow 14:30.

23/05/2026

You might have noticed that there is a link between two of the Gothic Identity Lectures and the bands playing later that night. The overarching theme is the alternative music of the GDR and the former Eastern Bloc.

With ‘United States of Melancholia’, a new and huge compilation of post punk music from the GDR is released by cult label Aufname + Wiedergabe. The last lecture of Gothic Identity will feature the compilers of this record – Henryk Gericke, Maik Reichenbach and assistant Alexander Pehlemann, three people who have published a lot about the alternative scene in the GDR – for a discussion. Also on the panel is Torsten Füchsel, who played guitar in the cult band Rosengarten, one of the highlights of GDR post punk.

And after the lecture, you can go to the Parkschloss podium nearby for three post punk bands that started out in the GDR. Heading the bill are Rosengarten, who are of course featured on the ‘United States of Melacholia’-compilation. The evening starts with Freunde der italienischen Oper, who will perhaps be featured on part two of ‘United States of Melancholia’. And Sandow is a post punk band that was very successful in the GDR and is still popular today.

We must point out that the panel discussion on ‘United States of Melancholia’ will be in German. But we also want to give the English-speaking audience a taste of what dark music behind the iron curtain sounded like, so Alexander Pehlemann and Xavier Kruth will give you some general introduction on the theme with musical excerpts.

Timetable of lectures at ballSAAL Leipzig:

14:30 Alexander Pehlemann & Xavier Kruth: Dark Sounds From Behind The Iron Curtain

15:20 Henryk Gericke, Maik Reichenbach, Torsten Füchsel, Alexander Pehlemann: United States of Melancholia: Post Punk GDR

Timetable of concerts at Parkschloss Leipzig:

17:20 Freunde der italienischen Oper

19:50 Sandow

21:30 Rosengarten

22/05/2026

Here is a flyer with more information about the lecture of Emma Baird, this Monday at 11 o'clock at ballSAAL, Leipzig.

21/05/2026

How cool is that - our lectures Gothic Identity Lectures 2026 were featured in MDR, German radio/tv!

Mark Benecke spricht beim WGT 2026 in Leipzig über morbide Mythen und Kriminalfälle, Oswald Henke bringt tiefschwarzen Humor auf die Bühne und im Ballsaal dreht sich alles um vier Jahrzehnte Fankultur von Depeche Mode.

12/05/2026

As we have done since 2019, the Gothic Identity Lectures & Readings will offer a series of lectures in English during WGT, discussing items like aging goths, gothic architecture, cats in dark culture, electronic music, vampire fiction and music from behind the iron curtain. You will find the full programme on our page. The lectures are planned on Monday 25th of May in the ballSAAL (near the Heidnisches Dorf). (Flyer by JJana Komaritsa

18/11/2025

During our English lectures at the last WGT, we had the honour of welcoming Jonny Hall. He presented his book 'The Dark Scene 500', which would be published later on, in which he describes the dark scene based on 500 carefully chosen songs. We loved his lecture, and are very happy that we can now also order the book. (Look in the links for ordering the book and for a review in Dutch.)

21/06/2025

More pictures of the Gothic Identity Lecture by Jana Komaritsa on the 'Art of Insanity', making a link between visual arts and mental desorder. Pictures by Luc Luyten aka Who Cares.