the frankfurt magazine 1 BEST OF FRANKFURT 2019 EDITORIAL 1 Dear readers, The title of our cover illustration – created by the Stories Between East and West’ explores books on artist Christoph Niemann – is ‘Premiere’. It shows the fall of the Berlin Wall, written 30 years or so people watching a blank screen, while at the same after that event – in a political climate marked by Cicek © FBM/Nurettin time turning us all into onlookers. The blank screen the rise of a new and frightening right­wing party fittingly serves as the title box of this magazine – in Germany. Bärbel Becker putting our themes under the spotlight. Luchterhand Verlag is the home of some of the has been at the Frank­ It is also in keeping with our piece on film adap­ most striking new literary voices from Germany. furter Buchmesse tation ‘A Book is a Film is a Game – German In conversation with publisher Regina Kammerer, for many years and is Stories on Screen’ – and the fact that books are Frankfurter Buchmesse director Juergen Boos the director of the increasingly forming the basis for films, scripts, TV talks about finding and nurturing talent. International Projects productions and series, or indeed games. Asked what she has always wanted to say about department. Looking at the cover illustration from a different Germany, Georgian­born author Nino Haratisch­ point of view, I find myself wondering: are we wili tells of the seventeen years she has spent in 2 merely onlookers? Are we passively waiting for the country, becoming both more Georgian and 3 4 something to happen in these times of enormous more German year by year. change and alarming political developments? Or Artist Christoph Niemann, born in 1970, tells sto­ do we want to make an impact and actively deal ries with a (humorous) twist through his art. He with those changes and challenges? first became famous in the 1990s, and his work has The frankfurt magazine features some of the chal­ appeared on the covers of The New Yorker, NYT lenging issues we face today – and as such, they Magazine, The New York Times, and in Germany’s are of course also reflected in publishers’ agendas. Zeit Magazin. He returned to Germany in 2011 Glover © Gene As we are just coming through the warmest winter and has lived there ever since. Christoph Niemann 5 ever in Europe, the article ‘The Future Starts is also the author of many books, and his artwork is Christoph Niemann Here – Anthropocene: the Age of Human Influ­ exhibited in museums and galleries across Europe. You can see his ence on Nature and the Climate’ highlights books I hope you enjoy our latest issue of the frankfurt incredible work at on global warming. And ‘The Wall and the Wende – magazine. Bärbel Becker christophniemann.com 1, 3, 4: FBM/Marc Jacquemin; 2: FBM/Bernd Hartung; 5: FBM/Nurettin Cicek; Cicek; 5: FBM/Nurettin Hartung; Jacquemin; 2: FBM/Bernd 1, 3, 4: FBM/Marc Weirauch 8: FBM/Anett Kania; Setzer; 7: FBM/Andi 6: FBM/Claus CONTENT 6 7 8 3 Editorial | 4 Juergen Boos in Conversation with Regina Kammerer | 14 The Future Starts Here Anthropocene: the Age of Human Influence on Nature and the Climate | 18 Happy Birthday Beethoven! The Anniversary of a Great European | 24 DAM Architectural Book Award 8 The Wall and 20 A Book is a the Wende Film is a Game Stories Between East and West German Stories on Screen 26 Crossing Borders On Work Between Languages and Cultures | 28 Fifty Books That Travel 1 House warming: The new Literary Agents and Scouts Centre in the Festhalle Frankfurt 2 Norway’s Crown Prince Hakoon and Crown Princess Mette- Marit visiting the Fair with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Trine Skei Grande, Norwegian Minister of Culture 3 Olga Tokarczuk, Nobel Selected Translations | 34 The Five Most Beautiful Books of 2019 Canada – Guest of Honour 2020 New Chair of Laureate for Literature, at the opening press conference of Frankfurter Buchmesse 4 Premiere: the Literature Gala brings together stars from all over the world. From left, back row: Thomas Böhm, Juergen Boos, Bärbel Schäfer, Ken Follett, Bela B., Nina Petri; front row: Maja Lunde, Margaret Atwood, the German Publishers & Booksellers Association | 35 Book Heroes 2019 Six International Locations in German Novels Elif Shafak, Colson Whitehead Young readers having fun at the new Frankfurt Kids area Karl Ove Knausgård in conversation with Frankfurter 5 6 Imprint | 36 The Knowledge Boom Reading Tips for Parents and Kids | 40 Authors, Books, Buchmesse’s director Juergen Boos 7 Fashion, revisited by Telekom at THE ARTS+ 8 Memory Banda, advocate, feminist and fierce campaigner from Malawi at the Create Your Revolution stage Awards Books People Are Talking about | 41 Germany Times 17 What I Always Wanted to Say about Germany 2 3 JUERGEN BOOS IN CONVERSATION WITH JB: Luchterhand has a long and impressive history of his work. I thought it was great, the voice was in the publishing world. At home I’ve got an old new and he was writing about something existen- edition of Günter Grass’ Katz and Maus on my tial. I went to meet him, together with Martin Luchterhand was shelves. And here at the Book Fair I’ve once again Mittel meier, an editor working with us, and we founded in 1924 and Regina Kammerer seen some really interesting titles, including books immediately signed a two-book contract. after the Second from our guest countries, published by Luchter- JB: That hunch about a new writer – is it something World War grew to hand. you learn with time? Or is it more of a gut feeling become one of the Good literature challenges the reader, but it can also be entertaining, RK: When I took over responsibility in 2005, that tells you: this is one to sign up? most well respected says Regina Kammerer, publisher at Luchterhand Verlag, working with Georg Reuchlein at that time, our RK: I’m maybe a bit old-fashioned here, but I listen literary publishing home to some of the most vibrant new voices in German literature. publishing house already had a long history – with to my gut feeling. I’m always on the lookout for the houses in the its ups and downs, of course. It’s wonderful that voice, for something original in the writing that German- speaking Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse, Juergen Boos, talked to her apart from Günter Grass and Christa Wolf, who sets a great writer apart. I’m less bothered about world. about tradition, talent and literary trends in Germany. are no longer with Luchterhand, we’ve still got the plot. It’s interesting too, but a text either many authors on our list who were published by speaks to me or it doesn’t. Luchterhand publishes Luchterhand long before the take over by Random renowned internati onal House. Writers like Kerstin Hensel, Franz Hohler authors like António and Christian Haller. And of course Ernst Jandl, I’m always on the Lobo Antunes, a real veteran. Luchterhand was, and still is, an in- lookout for the voice, for Karl Ove Knausgård, stitution. Leïla Slimani, JB: How did you develop your list in 2005? Did something original Elizabeth Strout, you work on the basis of particular themes? in the writing that sets a George Saunders and RK: It was a challenging time. We were faced with Linn Ullmann as well the task of ensuring stability while simultanously great writer apart. as outstanding seeking out young German voices looking for a German literary voices publishing home. Saša Stanišić was one of the first such as Ernst Jandl, new writers I was able to sign up for Luchterhand. JB: Have you ever been really disappointed? Franz Hohler, Terézia His first novel Wie der Soldat das Grammofon RK: I’d rather not call it disappointment, it’s more Mora, Hanns- Josef- repariert became a huge success. Here was a writer sad to see when a writer loses confidence in their Ortheil, Ferdinand and a book which made us think: this is the direc- work and doesn’t have the desire or the strength to von Schirach, tion we want to be taking. I’m really delighted to carry on. Saša Stanišič, Juli Zeh see what can happen when you support authors as JB: And if things don’t work out from a business and many more. they develop and believe in them. Saša’s debut point of view? novel was very successful, the rights were sold in RK: That’s a different thing altogether. Of course a 33 countries. It was seven years until his second literary publishing house must be commercially book was published and won the Leipzig Book Fair successful in order to survive. And of course you Prize. That’s what Luchterhand means for me: a want a book that you believe in to be a success. publishing house which encourages writers and But I do think you can have faith in books and sup ports them in their writing. writers that maybe take a little time to become JB: So you’re an example of a writers’ publishing successful. I have huge respect for writers. When house. How do you discover someone like Saša they write, they expose themselves and make Stanišić? themselves vulnerable, even with work that’s not RK: Networking, sharing and keeping your ears autobiographical. I would never see the job of an open. Literary festivals are important. But so are editor as being to make a writer do something they the fellowship programmes for publishers. This is don’t want to.