Searching for something that feels like 'home'
Author Niq Mhlongo on South Africa, Berlin and on Thomas Mann
Niq Mhlongo is a Soweto-born novelist, short story writer, travel journalist, essayist, editor and educator. In 1997 he graduated from Wits University with a BA in African literature and political science. N.M. has written four novels. His short stories have been published in various collections. He received several literary awards including the Herman Charles Bosman Prize, the Mar de Letras and the K. Sello Duiker Literary Award. His works have been translated into numerous languages, including French, Dutch, Flemish, German, Burmese, Spanish and Italian. In this interview Niq gives away his views on his country of origin, South Africa, on Berlin and last but not least on literature. Among his literary favourites are Bernhard Schlink and Jenny Erpenbeck. A big anniversary is coming up on June 6, the 150. birthday of Thomas Mann. Niq Mhlongo has been an avid reader. And of Thomas Mann for sure. So in our interview we talked about this world-famous author, nobel prize winner from Lübeck.
Niq, a very warm welcome! I have read your short story "Dog Life" in the Anthology "Schlüsselorte", Berlin 2023. Your first person narrator spends much of his time in the "Mauerpark" right in the centre of Berlin and seems to take part in the hustle and bustle there every weekend. Is that so? And how about you?
N.M.: Thank you Martina. That’s true. I find Berlin a ‘walker-friendly city’ with lots of parks, lakes and bushes. I love walking around the parks, and Mauerpark is one of my favourite places to do my walks. It is a place that inspires me. I love the energy, the diversity of cultures, and the stories that seem to flow through its air. It’s a microcosm of Berlin, and observing people there fuels my writing.
Your protagonist is on his way in the Mauerpark, the Treptower Park and on the Tempelhofer Feld. An outsider from South Africa, considered "crazy" by some, others see him as "daring" and "fearless". The first-person narrator suspects "a life full of empty spaces and secrets". When you are on your way in Berlin, do you notice many such outsiders and failures? If so, why do you stage them in your short story?
N.M.: Like any other big city, Berlin is a city with multi-layered identities and harsh realities that ordinary people face everyday. These harsh realities include, homelessness, mental illness and loneliness. Outsiders often have the most compelling stories. They live at the edges of society, where contradictions and raw emotions are most evident. Berlin is a city of outsiders itself, and these characters reflect both the city’s complexity and universal truths.
When the first-person narrator posts the photo of the man he knows from Mauerpark on Instagram and Facebook, a South African named Mr. Gama, who is the man's cousin, takes notice and makes contact. He writes that he knows the man, who is known as 'Scorpion.' His real name is Senzo Nake and he has been missing for over four decades. Then the cousin comes to Germany and meets Scorpion. But Scorpion doesn't want to know anything more about his past in South Africa. He makes a serious accusation: "Only traitors survive in this country." Can you say something about how this harsh sentence may be explained?
N.M.: This reflects the compromises and moral dilemmas people faced during apartheid. Survival often meant betraying one’s values or community. The statement captures the lingering pain and moral scars left by that era.
"Leave the past alone," Mr. Gama advises his cousin. Is he right?
N.M.: It depends. We can’t ignore the past because it shapes who we are. However, how we engage with it matters. Sometimes, letting it rest is necessary for healing, but that should not excuse avoiding accountability or reflection.
Is "Apartheid" and thus the dominance of Whites really a thing of the past or still a noticeable undercurrent?
N.M.: Not at all. While Apartheid laws are gone, its legacy is deeply embedded in societal structures and inequalities. The wounds are still visible in the economy, in land distribution, and in racial disparities. The struggle for equality continues.
Regaining dignity and freedom by means of narrating the individual life-story? Is that the aim the TRC (Truth Reconciliation Commission) was trying to achieve?
N.M.: Yes, the TRC sought to give victims a voice, to bring truth to light, and to start a healing process. Telling one’s story can be empowering, but whether it fully achieved its goals of dignity and reconciliation remains debatable.
You told me, Niq, that you have read Bernhard Schlink, Jenny Erpenbeck and Thomas Mann. I would like to put you some questions about the world-famous resident of Lübeck because Thomas Mann has his 150. anniversary on June, 6th this year. You told me that among others you've read Mann's novella "Death in Venice". To your mind, is there something, that makes his narrative style unmistakable?
N.M.: Mann’s style is marked by deep psychological insight and masterful prose. In "Death in Venice", he captures the inner turmoil of his characters with poetic precision, creating a narrative that feels both timeless and firmly rooted in its era.
"Death in Venice": Many are familiar with the title through the Visconti film starring Dirk Bogarde. The main character of the novella is Gustav Aschenbach, an aging writer who visits the lagoon city. He feels attracted to a youth called Tadzio. Manifold references to Western history of ideas obviously reveal the learned writer. Is this particular novella embedded in its time or could it be seen as completely detached from time references?
N.M.: It is both. The novella reflects the cultural and moral struggles of its time but also explores universal themes such as desire, beauty, and mortality, which resonate with readers across generations.
Let me refer to the first part of your answer: Might Thomas Mann with his enduring preoccupation with questions of aesthetics be seen as an author, whose fiction emits the sense of a political stance? How would you assess him?
N.M.: While Mann was deeply interested in aesthetics, his works also contain political undercurrents. In his later writings, especially, he engaged with the social and political upheavals of his time, showing his evolving perspective.
Let's move over to another famous author that you like. A contemporary writer: Bernhard Schlink, known for his best-selling novel "The Reader" that appeared in 1995. Based on the novel is the movie sttarring Kate Winslet and David Kross. Would you join the first-person narrator's fascination for Hannah Schmitz? What we learn is that this woman, as a concentration camp guard, burdened herself with massive guilt during the Nazi era…
N.M.: Hannah is a complex character, and it’s understandable that the narrator finds her fascinating. She embodies both human flaws and the possibility of change. However, her guilt as a concentration camp guard cannot be overlooked or excused.
Despite all the reservations about her, are there any indications that this largely uneducated woman will somehow be "purified" at the end of the long reading process?
N.M.: No, I don’t think she’s entirely purified. Her guilt remains, and while she shows moments of insight, such a profound level of wrongdoing cannot be cleansed entirely. Her story highlights the difficulty of grappling with guilt and responsibility.
There have been and still are top-class men and women of the pen who have never been honoured with particularly renowned literary prizes. Jenny Erpenbeck received the International Booker Prize 2024 for her novel "Kairos". What is your opinion on literary awards? And why is, what she had to say, important for you personally?
N.M.: Literary awards can spotlight important works and amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard. However, they are subjective and often influenced by trends. Jenny Erpenbeck’s recognition is well-deserved as her writing brings unique depth and perspective.
Talking about depth and perspective, there are people, to whom books they have read incorporate a concept of „home“. For others, the notion of "home" has only a topographical dimension, for yet others more a social component. What is your attitude? And is "home" something that you associate with Berlin?
N.M.: For me, "home" is more than a physical place. It encompasses belonging, identity, and memory. Berlin has allowed me to redefine this concept, but my roots in South Africa remain an integral part of what "home" means to me.
Does the feeling of home need time to grow in order to develop in a foreign country? What does it actually take for that?
N.M.: "Home" is both an experience and an ongoing project. Berlin has given me a sense of belonging in a global community, but it’s also a constant journey to find a place that truly feels like home. I look forward to exploring this further in the future.
Interview: Martina Pfeiffer
"Hundeleben", in: Schlüsselorte, InterKontinental Verlag, Berlin 2023