Leipzig
Book fair: stars from literature and entertainment come
Many stars of the scene are expected at the Leipzig Book Fair this year. photo
© Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
At the Leipzig Book Fair, the focus is on the publishers’ spring program. The fair boss promises a colorful literary festival with many well-known names.
This year, the Leipzig Book Fair is expecting well-known authors as well as stars from the entertainment industry. Among others, Marc-Uwe Kling, Ingrid Noll and Arne Dahl will follow Leipzig is coming, announced book fair director Astrid Böhmisch.
The actors Jörg Hartmann, Katja Riemann and Uschi Glas also want to present books during the fair and the associated “Leipzig reads” festival. The book fair will take place from March 21st to 24th. The Netherlands and Flanders are presenting themselves as guest countries.
Exhibitor numbers at the previous year’s level
According to director Böhmisch, the popularity of the exhibitors is unbroken. All major publishers are represented. Capacity utilization is more than satisfactory, she said.
Registrations were slightly above the previous year’s level. In 2023, 2,082 exhibitors from 40 countries presented themselves in Leipzig. Before that, the book fair was canceled three times in a row due to the corona pandemic.
Book fair under the sign of the polycrisis
In view of the many social and political crises in the world, the book fair this year particularly wants to be a place for exchange and opinion-forming, said Böhmisch. Numerous podium discussions and panels offer opportunities for this.
Readings should also send a sign of support to Ukraine. Planning for this program is still ongoing, said Böhmisch.
Two anniversaries are celebrated
In addition, two anniversaries mark this year’s trade fair. The Leipzig Book Fair Prize, one of the most important literary prizes in Germany, is being awarded for the 20th time. The nominees will be announced on February 29th.
In addition, the manga and comic fair Manga-Comic-Con turns ten years old. The area is growing strongly, said project manager Kerstin Krämer. This year, the offerings for the young target group – manga, comics, fantasy, youth literature – will occupy two of the five exhibition halls.
“Everything but flat” – Netherlands and Flanders as guest countries
The guest country appearance of the Netherlands and Flanders has the motto “Everything but flat”. “We are geographically flat, but socially, culturally and politically we are anything but flat,” said program coordinator Margot Dijkgraaf.
There is hardly a contemporary topic that is not taken up in the literature of the Netherlands and Flanders. The host country is planning around 100 events with 41 authors.