Lutz’s interview

What three adjectives would you use to describe yourself? Chaotic, curious and at times organised.

What are your greatest achievements?
To have come this far, somehow.

What’s your favourite smell?
lemon – especially coming from a nice caipirinha [note: a fabulous lime-based Brazilian alcoholic drink]

What’s your favourite work of art?
Too many to tell, so I’d like to mention my friend Theo Scherling here whose art I really admire. Have a look: www.theoscherling.de.

What book would you like everyone to read?
Imre Kertész, Roman eines Schicksallosen (Published in English as Fateless)

What is your favourite sound?
Sounds of big Asian gongs

If you were an animal, what animal do you think you would be?

A bird – El condor pasa – but it is a vulture, isn’t it? Well maybe editing has got something to do with this …

What would you like to do in your spare time?
If only I could play a musical instrument … Maybe I’ll start to learn the guitar before my fingers become rheumatic.

How many languages do you speak and why?
German, English, Portuguese and every day a bit more Spanish. “Why” is a really good question. Well, I even get paid for it and some people sometimes like to hear me speak. But not all the people all the time …

What would heaven be like if you were in charge?
Non-existent even if I’m not in charge.

Something you are never without
My brain – at least in the sense of its material being in that box on top of my neck.

What is your most appealing habit?
I’d have to ask my wife and she’s not here for that question.

And your least appealing habit?
Again, I could ask my wife but I don’t want to. She might answer this one.

What music did you inherit from your parents? What music would you like to pass on to the next generation?
Some classical music but not really much. Almost everything apart from “Operetta”, German “Schlager” and the more revolting elements of HipHop, Techno etc.

What music do you enjoy listening to/playing most?
all kinds of Jazz, all kinds of Brazilian music, classical music

What did you dream of being when you were younger?
Part of a better world

If you could pass one law that was guaranteed to be enacted what would it be?
A “Bill of tolerance” – But then this can’t be made into a law …

What lesson of life would you like to pass on to people younger than yourself?
Keep your eyes and ears wide open. Trust people but distrust power. Money is nice but happiness is something different. Never take yourself for granted.

If a young person asked you for advice about becoming an editor or an educational writer what would you say to them?
Try it.

How would you like to be remembered?
As a more or less friendly human being

If I hadn’t been an editor, writer etc I would have been a
… disaster, probably

What more do you want to achieve?
Learn a musical instrument, learn Spanish, keep my brain open and my bones together (+ change the world completely, of course)

Who is the living person you most admire?
Probably still Nelson Mandela for his achievements to liberate South Africa without plunging it into Civil War.

Which people have been most influential in your life?
My family and friends, some philosophers (old Charlie of course).

Who has been the best teacher you have ever had?
Don’t remember, but I could tell you about the bad ones …

Something that few people know about you.
One should keep secrets secret.

If you could travel back in time where would you go and why?
To the Greeks (about 350 B.C). Just to have a look at how they really were the founding fathers of European thought.

What question would you have liked me to ask you?

Do you like your job?

And your answer?
Yes I do, surprisingly, after all these years. Because I can do a lot of different things from writing to editing and presenting, and it isn’t too dangerous. It doesn’t pollute the environment, it can help people and rarely hurts anybody. You can be creative but you don’t have to be all the time. You travel and meet a lot of people but not every day …