Nincshof

JOHANNA SEBAUER
Nincshof

A Novel, ca. 320 pages
Autumn 2023
English sample available


Debut Prize 2023 of the Harbour Front Literary Festival

"Johanna Sebauer reveals our longing for times that can never really have existed, and uses her great imagination to let us fall bouncy to the ground. This is a climax of profound hilarity rarely seen in German-language literature […] an incredibly funny, delightful debut.“The Jury of the Harbour Front Literary Festival

"Johanna Sebauer measures out the field between Heimat-novel and Heimat -lessness-novel, between transfigured past and complicated present, between conflicts of self-discovery for some and rebellious self-assertion for others. [...] This excursion into the furthest province of Burgenland is absolutely worthwhile.“Eberhard Falcke, SWR2 LESENWERT

"Johanna Sebauer [...] tells a wondrous, dreamy fairy tale about the different versions of truth and reality."Cornelius Wüllenkemper, DEUTSCHLANDFUNK KULTUR

Johanna Sebauer tells a subtly humorous story about the pitfalls of remembering and the blessing that can lie in forgetting. 

An accomplished debut in the tradition of Austrian storytelling




Freedom Lies in Being Forgotten

Nincshof is a small village on the border between Austria and Hungary. Three men from the village call themselves ‘Oblivists’ and want to escape their hectic world. As far as they’re concerned, Nincshof should be forgotten, just as the legends say it was centuries before. Freedom for Nincshof, is their motto, and this goal is worth every effort to them: street signs are dismantled, pages are ripped out of records, gun club or fire brigade club festivals with other villages are ignored. To their great annoyance, a hare-brained act by the hitherto blameless Erna Rohdiebl might attract attention. The old woman absolutely has to be involved, especially since they are convinced that Erna has freedom in her blood. So she is just the right person for the movement. Despite not being entirely convinced by the men’s plans, Erna enlists in their subversive campaign, hoping to realise her dreams of experiencing adventure one more time, something that pulls her out of her daily routine. Everything seems to be going according to plan oblivion is within reach - if it weren't for the newcomers from town who are far too interested in Nincshof!

Rights sold to: Leykam (Croatian); Prostor (Czech); Athenaeum (Hungarian);