Author Meeting with Niels Krause-Kjær

Niels Krause-Kjær is perhaps best known as a political journalist and for his popular series of political thrillers, which include titles such as 'Kongekabale' and 'Mørkeland'. His latest novel, 'Ude for uden', published in August 2005, is quite different from his previous writing. Here, he opens up a story about a country where the farming community disappeared within a few decades, the big city became the ideal, and the countryside became the loser in a new cultural reality. The novel is fiction, but it is based on a real travelogue that he found in the Rigsarkivet – written by his father and his high school classmates over half a century ago. It became the starting point for a story about dreams, disappointments, and a culture in dissolution. At the center of the story is Erik, a young farmer who, after World War II, throws himself into the work of creating a future for himself and his family. Together with his wife Lisbet, he lives a life marked by hard work, drought, tragedies, and hope. They witness how the way of life and culture they know better than anything else slowly disappears – and how heroes can become villains in a new time. Through Erik's travelogue, we not only follow his personal journey, but also the major social changes that forever changed Denmark. Several years after Erik's death, his son Svend finds the book. He lives a completely different life in Copenhagen as a member of parliament, caught in the media spotlight and with secrets that threaten his political career. The confrontation with the past becomes both painful and pivotal for him. In tonight's lecture, Niels Krause-Kjær shares with warmth, insight, and storytelling joy his reflections on inheritance, identity, culture, and the shifts that have shaped the Denmark we know today. The lecture is a lively blend of personal memories, historical perspectives, and literary storytelling – and a perfect opportunity to reflect on what we have gained, and what we have lost in meeting with modernity. About the author Niels Krause-Kjær is a prominent voice in the Danish social debate. He is a journalist, author, and former TV host who has worked with politics and media at the highest level throughout his career. Niels Krause-Kjær has written a number of critically acclaimed novels where politics, media, and power plays are at the center. Among his most well-known works are 'Kongekabale', which was later filmed and had great success, as well as the popular follow-ups 'Mørkeland', 'Fandens forår', 'Nedsmeltning' and 'Jagttegn'.