Danish PEN invites you to a lecture on literary censorship, freedom of expression, and book bans throughout history. Learn how censorship is practiced today, which works are systematically removed from American schools and libraries, and how authors like Margaret Atwood have responded to their books being banned.
The lecture takes you through various countries and time periods – from the Catholic Church's influence in the 1600s, through censorship under German occupation, to present-day Ukraine, where limits on book publishing remain tight.
The speaker is Anette Thede, a retired librarian from Christianshavn. Since 2012, she has dedicated herself to exploring the topic of banned books and is an active member of Danish PEN. The lecture is arranged as part of the annual #BannedBooks campaign, which takes place at libraries, schools, and bookstores across the country from 5–11 October 2026.
