Sujet Verlag

Das valencianische Wasser (The Valencian Water)

Salem Khalfani

Salem Khalfani’s novella „Das valencianische Wasser“ (The Valencian Water) tells the story of a man, who learns about the aborted travel plans of a stranger and takes his place. Under the name of „Josef Nuri“ he travels to Valencia and checks in at the hotel Continental.

But as he receives a letter from Leila, the daughter of Josef Nuri, he becomes aware of his difficult situation. Salem Khalfanis protagonist instinctively seizes the opportunity to cast off his own identity for a while.  Yet, his newly gained freedom does not last long, because there are too many questions concerning the fate of Josef Nuri.

„Das valencianische Wasser“ (The Valencian Water) deals with the loss of identity and the search for identity common in the age of globalisation. The foreignness of his surroundings is mirrored in the obscure identity of the protagonist. It’s too strange to grasp and at the same time too familiar to distance oneself from it.