Wild Stories About Literary Censorship

Is censorship happening in Denmark today? Which books have been banned from American schools and libraries - and what did Margaret Atwood say when The Handmaid's Tale disappeared from American shelves?

Anette Thede, retired librarian and Christianshavn resident, takes the audience through the history of literary censorship: the Catholic Church's book bans in the 1600s, Nazi Germany's interference with Danish freedom of expression, and the restrictions Ukrainian authors face today. The lecture offers concrete examples across countries and time periods.

Anette Thede has worked with the subject of banned books since 2012 and is a member of Dansk PEN, which is behind the #BannedBooks campaign running at libraries, schools, and bookstores across the country from October 5-11, 2026.

The lecture takes place in the Othello room at Christianshavn Library.