4 DW-Akademie
German-American relations: A portrait of Steven Bloom
Januar 2011 International Media Studies
by Amalia OGANJANYAN
“As a writer I don’t have to tell the truth: my only responsibility is to be interesting!”
M
onday. 9.00. Small lecture room of the University of Heidelberg. Professor Steven Bloom is buried in a heap of paper, up to his ears in preparations. He looks like a student diligently using his last minutes before a big exam. A final glimpse at his watch – and the class begins. Today Steven will guide his students through the history of America’s wars.
Thirty minutes are almost nothing if you have to cover the nuances of a complex political and historical topic like the one Steven has to present now. He juggles with facts, comparisons, quotes of Obama and Lincoln. But it’s still difficult to involve this young audience into discussion. Even humor doesn’t help. This annoys the professor, because he would like to reduce the distance, collaborate with his students and learn from them as well. He often thinks about his motherland, the USA, where students call their professors by first names and usually take active part in their classes.
STRANGE PROFESSION But what Steven finds even more annoying about teaching is the necessity of giving grades. “It’s so artificial! It’s impossible to be a fair judge. I would prefer just to write comments – for example what I liked or what I found superficial”, the professor says. Nevertheless, Steven Bloom has been teaching American studies since 1970 – in the US, Germany, Italy and Poland. And he never gets bored with it. “I read new things, try to think differently. Each class is like a performance with a certain amount of tension, but never a routine”, he explains and them confesses: “Teaching at university is a very strange profession: in order to be qualified for it you don’t need to know anything about teaching. It’s a profession of people who mostly like research and writing”. WRITING IDENTITY The class is over and Steven rushes back home to continue the work on his new book. He keeps impatiently looking at his watch. The only thing he wants
LAST MINUTE QUESTIONS
Favorite writers: J.Joyes, V.Nabokov, I.B.Singer, P.Roth Favorite music: Good one, like jazz, opera. Favorite holiday: I don’t need holidays. I have an easy life and work whenever I have a chance. Favorite time of a day: Early morning, I get up at 5.oo Are you a fatalist? I even don’t know, what destiny means. The only thing you can say about all people in a room is that they will die. The word you use more often: Yes. Can you live without writing? I would not want to.
Photo: Amalia Oganjanyan
Completely grey-haired, with his white moustache and beard, at first glance Steven Bloom resembles a sad Santa Claus. Once he starts talking with his audience, his large eyes light up and the Santa becomes young. His very American jeans and backpack make him look even younger.
to do right now is writing. Frage (Ask me a question). Steven Bloom likes to joke Steven says that he knows these that he lives behind his desk, characters well and likes them. not in Germany. Nonetheless, “I do hear their voices. However the town of Heidelberg, where I don’t lose the reality that it is he has spent half of his life and me controlling whatever they created most of his books, has do”, the writer adds. served as a nice backdrop for His favorite character is his writing. Big cities no longer Izzy – a young Polish Jew who inspire Steven, who was born fought in the World War II and and raised in New York. is constantly seeking personal Steven writes five hours a happiness. It was Steven’s day, but does not expect father, who served as a to get famous or rich prototype for Izzy. He STEVEN’S from his books. was a real Polish Jew, FAVORITE Once he finishes who immigrated a book, he to the US at the JEWISH JOKE automatically age of 10 and starts to later went to think of North Africa the next and Italy with A man is looking for one. “I’ll the US troops. something at the courtyard, He never told probably his friend asks him: run out his children What are you looking for? a n y t h i n g of time The man answers: before I’ve about his war run out of experience, - I lost my key. ideas”, says except for - Are you sure you lost it the writer the fact that here? laughing. He A m e r i c a n - No, I lost it on the realizes that cigarettes were road, but the light there is never the main currency here is better. a guarantee during that time. that his current novel will ever be DECISION FOR LIFE published. And even if it does see the light – there is no Neither Bloom’s father, nor guarantee that it will be sold. his mother have learned good The scene of his first English or received higher published novel No New Jokes education. The best position his is set in New York in 1949-50. Its father had ever had was that of characters are American Jews – a cleaning man at a post office. Archie Feinstein, Jack Goldfarb, Therefore Steven didn’t have a Meyer Woolf, Izzy and others. role model for education in his They discuss the Korean War, family. Since he played football anti-Semitism, baseball, religion in high school, he decided to get or women and try to reduce a degree in sports. However, the uncertainty in their lives by when he saw university teachers telling old Jewish jokes – which standing in front of an audience, happens to be the specialization talking about books, it seemed of professor Bloom. like a very pleasant occupation Two factors make Jewish to him. And the decision for life humor special, he explains: “It’s was made: he was to become a a social activity, crucial for such university teacher. a verbal culture as that of the Steven’s life as a writer Jews. And: in a hostile world, turned out to be tougher. Bloom where one cannot count on says that it is easier for him to God, jokes can help to feel a push a manuscript through a little better for a moment”. publisher in Germany than in The same humorous the US. But he still tries to sell characters inhabit Blooms his texts in America. “If you are second novel Stellt mir eine a writer, you have to be used to
Steven Bloom at a Christmas market
rejections and keep trying”, he admits.
the Discussion group of the DAI may enter now. This club has been run by Professor Bloom for MASTER OF DIALOGUE a quarter of a century. People of different ages, occupations and Bloom’s main weapon is his origins come here every week sense of humor. His speech is to practice their English and get interspersed with jokes. “The a chance to discuss topics like master of dialogue” – this “How patriotic should a citizen is how German newspapers be?” or “Is honesty the best called him in their literary policy?” reviews, praising his art of the “This man is from Taiwan, conversational ping-pong. But now he is a citizen of Steven is also a curious listener Germany”, Steven says as soon who eagerly asks questions as he sees the first visitor. “But and expresses lively interest in he complains that nobody every conversation. Maybe he is perceives him as a German”, collecting material for his future he adds. It is obvious that he books? knows quite a bit about the “As a writer I don’t lives of the people around him, have to tell the truth, my thanks to his inexhaustible only responsibility is to be attention and empathy. interesting”, he says. Well, some No trace of the restraint and people may definitely have to tension that professor Bloom beware. In autumn 2011 Steven revealed in the morning in Bloom is to release a book class. His face brightens up, he about the mayor of Heidelberg gesticulates freely and jokes and his wife. non-stop. “These people come here voluntarily. They have PRIVILEGED FOREIGNERS rich experience and unlike the students are very active in Thirty-five years ago he discussions. The only trouble followed his wife Sara, an here is to stop some of them opera singer, who came to talking”, Steven says all smiles. Heidelberg to find a job. White These evenings have become Americans are an important very privileged part of the foreigners in week for many White Germany, so the participants. Bloom couple “Our leader did not have a Americans Steven is great. problem with I’ve never that, Steven seen such an are privileged intelligent and recalls. And thanks to their entertaining English they person as him”, foreigners in could integrate says a nurse easily into their Theresa Hartl, new society. His who has been a Germany national identity member of the is not principal discussion group for him, Steven for 15 years. “We admits. The most vital to him are like a big family here”. is to be a writer, father and Literally, one may say. It teacher. was here in the DAI club that Steven’s daughter Zoe met her INTELLIGENT LEADER future husband Christoph. Will this story turn into the prose of Tuesday. 18.00. The library Steven Bloom? Well, that could of the German – American be at least one component Institute (DAI) closes for regular in the formula of his first admission. Only members of bestseller.
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