APPENDIX 9
Memorandum submitted by Dr S Heinz, Wien
University
Having received your inquiry I would like to
inform you about some difficulties we had with the British Council
in Berlin/FR Germany.
In 1998 a representative of the Welsh Tourist
Board, Carys Evans, and me, as the acting head of the Celtic Unit
in Berlin, went to the British Council in order to discuss possibilities
of promoting Wales in Germany with Dr Simon Cole and further members
of the institution. One of the issues discussed on that occasion
was an evening with Welsh poets open to the public, which would
introduce Welsh products. Unfortunately, after the talk we did
not hear from the Council again.
This year, I asked whether the British Council
would be willing to help in sponsoring an anthology comprising
translations from Celtic speaking areas and an introduction to
the four main Celtic literatures, including Welsh therefore. It
was refused without looking at it.
On the other hand, the British Council does
support the Centre for Great Britain Studies (Grö-britannienzentrum)
at the Humboldt University of Berlin, which does not consider
to introduce any aspects of the Welsh culture, language or literature.
9 October 2000
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