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 right-wing 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, Georgian-born 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 5 Young readers having fun at the new Frankfurt Kids area 6 Karl Ove Knausgård in conversation with Frankfurter 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 Mittel­meier, 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 take­over by Random renowned international­ 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 sup­ports 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. btb was founded in where you meet and and hear about writers you JB: That buzzword: critics. Do you think they’re the early summer might want to keep an eye on. That’s the great disappearing? What’s happening there? of 1996 with the aim thing about our industry, it’s a small world of very RK: There’s just no longer the same amount of of publishing paper- interesting and interested people, united in their space for literature in the media. It’s also a pity backs with high quality passion for writers and their stories. International that book programmes on public broadcast TV or design and layout. book lovers – it’s a very stimulating community. radio are usually only on late at night. But to be Just a year and a half I am very lucky to be able to work like this. And honest I think it’s important to read and watch later they expanded that’s how it felt with Saša. Before he read in more than the feuilleton. I am interested in the their range to include

© for all photographs in this article by Ulrike Frömel © for all photographs in this article by Ulrike Klagen­furt in 2005 we’d already seen an excerpt connection between culture and politics, and how hardbacks.

4 5 on. There were so many colleagues working with Princess Mette-Marit. He was the first person to literature from the English-speaking world, and I tell me about Knausgård. After that I kept hearing wanted to discover something new, I wanted our his name mentioned by other Norwegian friends. house to have a broader profile. I think the Scan­ I didn’t buy his first book, but then Alles hat sei­- dinavians are very similiar to us in how they tell ne Zeit came along, a wonderful book, very sub­ stories. There are and always have been very close stantial, written in quite a different style from links between the Scandinavian and German-­ his autobiographical project later, and I bought speaking worlds. the rights because I felt that one day he would be JB: Does that mean your connections with the really big. Scandinavian book world and your colleagues there I still remember our first meeting quite clearly. go back a long way? Karl-Ove was very reserved, he hardly said a word. RK: Yes, I’ve known Halldór Guðmundsson, Pro- After the book came out, he came to Munich and ject Leader of the 2019 Guest of Honour appear- he promised to be more talkative. And he also ance, for many years from my trips to Scandinavia. promised the next book would be shorter – and then these six volumes suddenly appeared … I was given the freedom, with Luchterhand, to take on As a publisher you’ve the project at a time when Knausgård was already got to be curious, open, a hero in the Nordic countries, but no one would have thought that he’d be so successful on the open to other world stage. It was one of the highlights of my pub- cultures and to different lishing career. JB: Turning to quite a different topic in today’s age groups. German book industry – the ratio of published female to male writers. Many companies publish more male writers; at Luchterhand, in the preview JB: What did those trips involve? of upcoming books, it’s equal: six male to six RK: I visited publishing houses. At that time there female writers. weren’t many agencies and foreign rights were RK: Well, that’s really good, isn’t it. To be honest it negotiated directly through the publishers. For may be by chance, but it reflects my approach. years I travelled regularly to Denmark, Norway I think a publisher’s list should be as broad as pos- and Sweden. I went to Iceland with the fellowship sible – but I’d never publish a book because a man programme where I met everyone working in wrote it, and I’d never publish a woman I didn’t publishing. I found those experiences to be very believe in. I’m either captivated by the tone of a recent years German writers have started leaning enriching. I eventually started with Scandinavian book – or not. I think we’ve got a good mixture: towards telling global stories, stories which reso- authors at btb and later at Luchterhand as well. established female and male writers, young voices, nate worldwide, and that means other countries For example Knausgård, Lena Andersson – and a range of temperaments, German writers and are becoming interested in these writers too. Juli this autumn we’ll be publishing a new book by writers in translation. Zeh has got fantastic reviews for Leere Herzen in Johannes Anyuru, one of the really great Swedish JB: Luchterhand is an imprint of the Random the USA and Ferdinand von Schirach has a great Regina Kammerer writers, who’s just been published in the USA. As House publishing group. What does it mean for a fan base outside the German-­speaking world. is the publisher of a publisher you’ve got to be curious, open, open to publishing company which sees itself as a writers’ Books published by Luchterhand attract a lot of Luchterhand other cultures and to different age groups. Take publisher to be part of a group of companies? attention in other countries, which of course we’re Literaturverlag & btb publishes out- this influences the lives of our readers. In Germany Sally Rooney for example and her novel Gespräche RK: It’s never held me back. I’ve always been able delighted about. In order to get foreign publishers btb Verlag (part of standing authors from there is a national debate on the question ‘What is mit Freunden. Rooney is read by many young to realise the projects that were dear to my acquainted with our books and our themes, we Random House all over the world, ‘real’ literature?’ I don’t feel that’s necessary. Good female and male readers for sure, but possibly read heart, and I still can. When Georg Reuchlein and need networks. They’re the lifeblood of our indus- Germany). She stu­ amongst them Håkan literature challenges the reader, but is entertaining quite differently by someone with 40 years’ read- I started at Luchterhand, we were allowed to take try. And that’s why book fairs are so important too, died German, Politics Nesser, Irvin D. Yalom, at the same time. ‘High culture’ is a very German ing experience behind them. the long view – I am grateful that this continues because they facilitate these conversations. and Social Sciences Eleanor Catton and idea. Literature must also be able to reach people JB: You published Knausgård before he became a with Grusche Juncker – and it has paid off. JB: Is there someone whose books you’d like to in Heidelberg and James McBride, who come from different cultural backgrounds. star. What did you think when you first encoun- JB: If you had to explain to a foreign reader what’s have sold more widely abroad, who you think Munich and is also a Maja Lunde, Bernhard JB: You have many Nordic writers on your list, tered his writing? going on in German literature at the moment, should be better known on the world stage? graduate of the Aichner, Melanie Knausgård being one of them. Have you got a soft RK: Through my trips to Scandinavia I’d met what would you say? What do you see as the RK: Yes, there is. The Büchner Prize winner Terézia German School of Raabe, Caroline spot for Nordic writers? the legendary editor and writer Geir Gulliksen, trends? Mora. In my opinion her books are world literature Journalism in Munich. Criado-Perez and RK: Not just for the Nordic ones – but yes, you’re who edited the Luchterhand Anthology Heimat- RK: In general I’d say: literature emerges from in the best sense of the word. She lives in Munich many more. right. I began looking at Scandinavia very early land in the autumn of 2019 together with Crown friction. I find it hard to talk about trends, but in JB: Regina, thank you for the conversation. and has two daughters.

6 7

STORIES BETWEEN EAST AND WEST

THE WALL AND THE WENDE How contemporary books from Germany reflect the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall

here were you 30 years ago when When I later met Christa Wolf in a stairwell in buchmesse.de/ the Berlin Wall fell? Were you there Berlin, I nearly had a heart attack: how should I magazine/ perhaps, like me? Or watching the address my literary heroine? I didn’t! As a BBC berlin-wall extraordinary events unfold on TV? journalist, keen to deepen my knowledge of the More information WSome of you weren’t even born: how must that be, complexities of the country and language I love, about the featured not to have experienced the Wall, the GDR and I immersed myself in German history. I’ve since titles in German divided Germany, not to have been shaped by read and met Jenny Erpenbeck, Julia Franck, and English can be those events? We were euphoric. The walls were found here. down; Europe, we believed, was free. For me, as a German graduate and rookie BBC journalist, and From investigative for everyone featured in this article, our lives were shaped by those events. 30 years later we still journalism debate them vigorously – perhaps even more so after three decades of reflecting. So, what are the to family epics reflections of German writers? Anniversaries are the perfect time to answer that question. Daniel Kehlmann, Sasa Stanišić, Ingo Schulze and To mark this 30th anniversary, there are hundreds others – world-class authors who address the of recent publications. The range is impressive: country’s many historic upheavals, from war to from photography, investigative journalism, graph- Wall to Wende. ic novels and children’s books to family epics. If once the labels ‘Wenderoman’ or ‘DDR-Roman’ Never before has Germany addressed its own his- were slapped on any book about the Wall or the tory with such energy and openness. GDR, today the branding is blurred. The subjects As a voracious reader of books about Germany, remain, but as the books show, the treatment is this is my dream task. I took German at university, more subtle, sober and varied. After 30 years of studying ‘the Greats’ – Goethe, Brecht, Grass, ‘togetherness’, writers are still occupied by the Kafka, and so on – and in my final year specialised questions of brass tacks (how did it happen?) and Streets of Berlin in ‘GRD literature’ (which was considered exotic the state of East-West reconciliation and German From: Mawil Kinderland, then), reading Christa Wolf and Ulrich Plenzdorf. unity (have they worked?) I’m certain they will Reprodukt 2019 continue to write about these topics for decades to West) describe parallel childhoods – going to childhood of an East German refugee. These East- THE DAY THE WALL CAME DOWN come, just as they do about the Second World War school, watching TV, riding bikes and eating West transit camps were horrific. Some are still in and the Nazis. sweets, with adults reassuring them that life ‘on use today as immigration camps. Vanderbeke’s 9 NOVEMBER 1989 At the centre of this 30th anniversary is the city their side of the wall’ was much better than ‘drü- novel is sad but relevant and her writing is superb.

© Stiftung Haus der der Haus © Stiftung Petras Christoph Geschichte, of Berlin and the Wall. Die Berliner Mauer. ben’, on the other side. Jochen and David’s child- Interestingly, she is one author who has succeeded Geschichte eines politischen Bauwerks by Thomas hoods were politically distinct but politics could on the stubborn UK book market. We still only 9.00 a.m. 12.00 midday press release straße and Four officers from During a smoking to Günter Heinrich-Heine- From August 1961 Flemming is a major political work, covering the not prevent their friendship, even after such read about 5% in translation, and not enough Ger- the Ministry of break at the Scha­bowski, who Straße. Instruc­ Friedrich Straße Berlin Crisis of 1948, the erection of the Wall in different upbringings. man literature. My ambition, of course, is to the Interior and Central Commit­ is at present act­ tion to the border S-Bahnhof became a 1961 and its destruction. As with all modern-day East-West relationships are at the heart of an­ change that! the State Security tee meeting, ing as spokesman guards: to put Service meet members of the for the SED Cen­ the people off till border crossing point accounts, the facts are brought to life with ample other invaluable read: an updated reissue of the My abiding images of November 1989 all come in the Interior Politburo confirm tral Committee. the next day and for people travelling photos and real-life dramas. It’s a thrilling but from photos. Photojournalists have always been Ministry at the the draft travel send them back. from one part of the shocking story, especially as walls are still being central to the depiction of the Wall and the Wende, request of the regulations drawn 6 p.m. Politburo to draw up by the officers. Beginning of an 8.40 p.m. city to the other. erected across the world to restrict freedoms. The Across walls and several leading photographers, such as Barbara up new regula­ They are passed international End of the second Because of the count- actual day the Wall fell in November 1989 is Klemm and Jürgen Ritter, have brought out new tions on leaving on to the Council press conference day of the SED less farewells that took examined by several authors. In her book Und and borders books. Once upon a time all eyes were on Berlin, the country. of Ministers. with Günter Central Commit­ The group soon Schabowski, tee meeting. Until place here up until wo warst du? 30 Jahre Mauerfall, the civil rights but a batch of new books examining what hap- agrees that, in 2.00 p.m. broadcast live by now, the party 1989 it was known campaigner Freya Klier interviews people from seminal Geh doch rüber! Revisited: Ein Ost-West- pened elsewhere in the East proves that the focus future, all restric­ West German GDR television and state leaders locally as the ‘Palace former East and West Germany, from mechanics Lesebuch und seine Geschichte, first published in has shifted to other cities. Packed with photos and tions regarding Chancellor and radio. have not noticed applications Helmut Kohl the events occur­ of Tears’. Today it is to neo-­Nazis, asking them, ‘Where were you?’ and 1986 by psychologist Frank Blohm, about cross-­ to leave the GDR arrives in Poland 6.50 p.m. ring around them: home to a permanent questioning how reality has lived up to the hopes border relationships. Basically, his message is posi- permanently for a state visit Schabowski an­ neither the press exhibition called of 1989. These are important personal testimo- tive, but it’s complicated. I read in a survey in Hidden stories and should be dropped. of several days. nounces a new conference, the The officers con­ travel regulation, media response ‘The site of divided nies. It is harrowing to read how many former The Economist (Oct 31st 2019) marking the 30th sider it irrespon­ 2.30 p.m. 9 November 1989 to it, nor the rush Germany’. GDR citizens still suffer from the loss of their anniversary that: ‘Germans (still) view reunifica- new research sible, however, During the regu­ When asked by on the border country: the GDR had a distinct identity and, tion differ­ently. Half of west Germans consider to force all those lar break at the a journalist when crossing points wanting to leave Central Commit­ the regu­lations that is starting. what­ever the reality of censorship and com- the east a success. Two-thirds of east Germans information, Ingo Juchler’s 1989 in Deutschland. the country to tee meeting, are to go into munism, it was also where they were born, went to disagree … Wessis carried on life as normal. Not a Schauplätze der Friedlichen Revolution takes us on take on the status SED General force, Scha­bowski 9.10 p.m. school, fell in love, wrote books. The majority of single east German had the same experience … a tour of the main showcases of ‘the Peaceful of emigrants. Secretary Egon answers: End of a Bundes­ They want to pre­ Krenz meets the ‘As of now; tag sitting. authors writing about the Wall and the Wende are Western stereo­types of easterners have persisted.’ Revolution’, including Leipzig, Dresden and Jena. serve the GDR. prime minister immedi­ately!’ former East Germans, determined not to be Reading these books, I’m surprised at the lack of As you might recall, the protests in Leipzig in For this reason, of North Rhine-­ 9.30 p.m. viewed as extinct zoo animals, writing to create bitterness and anger on the part of former East October 1989 were a key turning point in bringing they include Westphalia, 7.05 p.m. End of the regulations re­ Johannes Rau. The news agency state banquet in balance and legacy, aware that genuine healing Germans – also the lack of nostalgia, the famous down the GDR, so I’d like to recommend another garding the right AP issues the Warsaw. West and equality in Germany will take longer than ‘Ostalgie’, previously so strong. Maybe it’s a form book focusing on Leipzig by the journalist Peter to ‘private trips,’ 3.00 p.m. news flash: ‘GDR German Chancel­ 30 years. of resignation, maybe wisdom. Wensierski, Die unheimliche Leichtigkeit der Revo- i.e. visits, in the The implementing opens border’; lor Helmut Kohl Council’s resolu­ regulations for DPA at 7.41 p.m.: hears of the Childhood, love and friendship across walls and New revelations and hidden stories from that time lution. Wie eine Gruppe junger Leipziger die Rebel- tion, along with the travel bill are ‘The GDR border events in East borders are dominant themes in these books. In continue to be exposed. Ich freue mich, dass ich lion in der DDR wagte. Several authors provide those concerning given the final … is open.’ The Berlin. Drüben und drüben. Zwei deutsche Kindheiten by geboren bin, by one of my favourite German new research and tackle current controversies, permanent depar­ touches by the agency reports ture. Applications Interior Ministry become the top 9.30 p.m. Jochen Schmidt & David Wagner, two acclaimed writers, Birgit Vanderbeke, is an autobiographical such as continuing revelations from the Stasi files, are still to be and the State news during Between 500 and authors (one from the East and one from the novel set in 1960s West Germany about the immigration and the rise of the far right. made for permis­ Security Service. peak news time 1,000 people sion to travel or on tele­vision have gathered at leave the country. 4.00 p.m. and radio until the Bornholmer The State Secu­ Egon Krenz reads 8.15 p.m.. The Strasse border rity Service ex­ out the draft current affairs crossing point. pects the general travel bill, which programme The State populace to react he now has as ‘Tagesschau’ Security Service with a rush – but a draft resolution reports ‘GDR decides on a Frank Blöhm a rush on the rel­ of the Council opens border’. ‘valve solution’, Geh doch rüber! Thomas Flemming evant authorities of Ministers, i.e. to let people (Lukas) Die Berliner (the Volkspolizei including a press 8.15 p.m. through the The new edition Mauer Christoph Hein district offices), release, to the According to a border gradually. includes the history Thomas Brussig (be.bra) Verwirrnis not a rush on the SED Central progress report of the book itself Beste Absichten No other place (Suhrkamp) border. Committee. by the East Berlin 9.34 p.m. and the persecution (S. Fischer) reflects the history A love that endures, Volkspolizei, al­ In Washington, of the publisher With great wit and of a divided Germa- defying all obstacles 10.00 a.m. 5.30 p.m. together 80 East US President by the Stasi. What lightness of touch, ny and the Cold over many years, Start of the Krenz hands the Berliners have George Bush was it like living Brussig explores War as powerfully and at the same second day of draft resolution gathered at the and Secretary of through that time – what happens when as the Berlin Wall. time a vivid pan­ the SED Central of the Council of border crossing State James and what’s become an ending and a Includes photos orama of German Committee Ministers and the points Bornholmer Baker hold a of it all? beginning coincide. and documents. intellectual life. meeting. accompanying Straße, Invaliden­ press conference.

10 11 … THE DAY THE WALL CAME DOWN Hans-Hermann Hertle (author) Novelists too are addressing these topics. Take 9 NOVEMBER 1989 on www.chronik-der-mauer.de/en, Lukas Rietzschel’s Mit der Faust in die Welt schla­ Fresh approaches collaboration between the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, gen, about two brothers born in the 1990s in the They have heard give reasons for The ‘valve solu- soldiers, on Deutschlandradio and the Leibniz-­ old East and growing up in reunited Germany. One to familiar topics about the events the trip or proof tion’ has proved the alert level Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung. fares well, the other joins a group of anti-­immigrant The texts are based on Hans-Hermann in Berlin from of family rela- to be unwise. ‘increased readi- neo-Nazis. It doesn’t get more topical than this. still lots to uncover. One of my happiest discover- Rosie Goldsmith agency reports. tionships. In other When some are ness for action’. Hertle’s: Sofort, unverzüglich. words: applica- allowed to leave Because no more Die Chronik des Mauerfalls (2019) Lukas Rietzschel, born in 1994 in the former ies though is the graphic novel, for me Germany’s is an award-winning 9.34 p.m. tions have to be the country, the orders are given GDR, is a bestselling debut novelist; Christoph greatest and most inclusive contribution to the journalist specializing The governments made for travel!’ others who have during the night, Hein, born in 1944, is one of the GDR’s most book industry. After years of ignoring these in arts and foreign in London (…) to wait push and the commanders and Paris are as shove even more. of the border established and prolific writers. His latest novel books’ dazzling artwork and original approach to affairs. Known as a surprised as 10.42 p.m. When the wire regiments suspend Verwirrnis, about a homosexual love affair, is difficult issues, from immigration to the Holo- champion of interna- all others by the Television host fence in front of the measures on another revealing reflection on life behind the caust, I am now a convert. My final choice for you tional literature and news agency Hanns Joachim the border cross- their own reports. Friedrichs starts ing is pushed responsibility. closed doors of the East. The magnificent novelist is Mawil’s prize-winning graphic novel Kinderland. languages, she pro- off the ARD aside, the border Thomas Brussig, also originally from the East, Eine Kindheit im Schatten der Mauer, which poi­ motes them whenever 10.00 p.m. current affairs guards fear 1.00 a.m. whose Helden wie wir certainly changed how I gnantly and gorgeously depicts the last days of she can. She is Direc- After the end of programme for their lives. Between 1.00 the Central ‘Tages­themen’ Lieutenant- and 2.00 a.m., viewed the Berlin Wall, is also back at his satirical East Germany through the eyes of a child. tor of the European Committee meet- with the following Colonel Harald thousands of best with Beste Absichten, a book about a strug- 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and Literature Network and ing, Egon Krenz words. ‘Good Jäger decides to West and East gling 1989 East Berlin band called ‘Die Seuche’ the profound challenge of German reunification, Chair of Judges for has gone to his evening, ladies open up every­ Berliners get office in the and gentlemen. thing and stop through the Wall (‘The Epidemic’). The Wall falls and life and music writers are analyzing and representing their the EBRD Literature Central Commit- One should be checking pass- at the Branden- are never the same again! his­tory with new vigour, creating diverse and Prize. After 20 years tee building. His cautious with ports. Thousands burg Gate and The joys of these books for me are many and distinctive works, which are not just essential at the BBC, today main concern is superlatives; they of people pour walk over Pariser that the Central tend to wear into the border Platz square and varied: I’ve rediscovered familiar authors, en­coun­ reading but, quite frankly, a pleasure. Thanks to she combines journal- Committee has out fast. But this facilities, overrun through the gate. tered new voices and been impressed by fresh them these milestones of German history will ism with hosting and not voted the way evening it is the checkpoints, People dance approaches to familiar topics – it’s clear there’s never be forgotten. ◊ curating literary he wanted for permissible to risk go over the bridge for joy on the the Politburo. (…) one: this ninth and are welcomed Wall. The cement events in the UK and of November is a enthusiastically embankment around the world. 10.28 p.m. historic day: the on the West remains occupied A last attempt to GDR has an- Berlin side. (…) by several put a brake on nounced that its thousand people. the developments borders are open 10 NOVEMBER The whole square is made on the to everyone as 1989 echoes to the Jochen Schmidt, late-night broad- of now; the gates 0.20 a.m. tapping of the David Wagner cast of ‘Aktuelle in the Wall are The commanders ‘Wall peckers’. Drüben und Ingo Juchler Kamera’ on wide open.’ (…) of the National They chip away at drüben 1989 in GDR television: People’s Army the Wall on the (Rowohlt) Deutschland Peter Wensierski ‘At the request of 11.30 p.m. (NVA) are con- western side with Two Germanys (be.bra) Die unheimliche many citizens, we On Bornholmer fused and do not hammers and and two boys, born Informative texts Leichtigkeit inform you again Straße, the situa- know what to chisels. People go almost simulta­ on the background der Revolution about the new tion is becoming do. They prepare in droves to the neously, just not in to the events of (DVA) travel resolution a threatening one for all options, Kurfürstendamm, the same country. A 1989, together with The true story of issued by the for the passport including the which turns into book which is both numerous photos, an unusual group Council of Minis- inspectors. Thou- military one. At one big party melancholic and make this book of young people ters. sands of people 0.20 a.m., they venue until the concise, hovering a lively time travel who take on a fight First: private trips are pushing to- put the Berlin early morning. Three pioneers send greetings. rather wonderfully guide to recent that others see as can be applied for wards the border border regiments, Both illustrations from: Mawil between the two. German history. hopeless. without having to crossing point. around 12,000 Kinderland, Reprodukt 2019

Mawil Birgit Vanderbeke Kinderland Ich freue mich, (Reprodukt) dass ich geboren One of Germany’s Lukas Rietzschel Freya Klier bin most skilled comic Mit der Faust in Und wo warst du? (Piper) book writers tells the die Welt schlagen (Herder) The escape from story of a childhood (Ullstein) 23 witnesses allow East Germany is caught between Rietzschel’s novel the reader a brief behind them. The Young Pioneers and is a chronicle of glimpse into their family has arrived church, of fathers collapse. A highly souls. They open in the parents’ who ‘disappear’ topical literary up unique, personal Promised Land. But and of ‘going over exploration of a and moving for the child, it’s the wall’. country torn apart. perspectives. a dreadful place …

13 umanity has created lots of great stories, materials in huge quantities for our electronic ANTHROPOCENE buchmesse.de/ from the Epic of Gilgamesh to In Search devices; we encircle the Earth with a mantle of magazine/ of Lost Time. But according to natural space debris; we produce new types of ‘techno­ H anthropocene scientists, the greatest human story of all is un­ fossils’ from electronic waste. Engineers create folding in the present day. hun­dreds of thousands of kilometres of roads, rail­ More information Moreover, this story isn’t by a single author; way lines and cables. about the featured instead we’re all working on it together. The way Agriculture also produces enormous amounts of titles in German billions of us are consuming plastic, emitting future fossils, such as the bone residues of chick­ and English can be greenhouse gases from cars, and destroying animal ens, cattle and pigs. Our hunger for resources is so found here. and plant species is changing our planet so funda­ great that all of the concrete we’ve produced thus mentally and profoundly that we are collectively far is equivalent to a kilogramme for every square writing Earth’s history. metre of earth – and we could wrap the planet in Burning rainforests in the Amazon, record tem­ clingfilm using the plastic we’ve generated to date. peratures in the Arctic and in Australia, dwindling According to analyses by the World Biodiversity insect populations, huge quantities of plastics in Council, one-eighth of the estimated eight million animal and plant species on Earth could become extinct in the 21st century. This is reminiscent Dissolving of earlier mass extinctions, such as those at the boundaries between end of the dinosaur age – except that this time it’s not an asteroid that’s responsible, but a primate nature and culture species called ‘Homo sapiens’. The result, as Paul Crutzen puts it, is the ‘human Earth’ – a fundamentally new structure that will the sea … These are not just individual environ­ never again return to an untouched natural state, mental problems, say scientists, but evidence of a even if humanity should one day become extinct. gigantic upheaval that is affecting politics, the An extraterrestrial geologist landing on our planet economy, science, culture – the whole of society, a million years from now would thus find clear in other words. This radical shift has a dazzling and traces of our time. increasingly well-known name: the Anthropocene, It took several years for the debate on Crutzen’s © Sebastião Salgado/Agentur Focus © Sebastião Salgado/Agentur the geological epoch of humankind. thesis to get going. But now, when the future As long ago as in 2000, Paul Crutzen, winner of of the environment and the climate is discussed,

the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, put forward the the Anthropocene is on everyone’s lips. The Bohm © Tobia argument that we are making history in geological ‘human epoch’ is the key new leitmotif in global terms. ‘Anthropocene’ comes from the ancient environmental debates. No other idea is causing The 2019 Peace Prize Greek words ‘anthropos’ for ‘human’ and kainos for such a furore or triggering such groundbreaking of the German Book The ‘new’. Since then, scientists have been collecting discussions.­ Trade was awarded dramatic evidence of the Anthropocene to pave The German book market plays a special, leading to the Brazilian photo­ the way for an official renaming of our current role in exploring the Anthropocene globally. One grapher Sebastião epoch, the Holocene, to the Anthropocene. Salgado on 20 Octo­ Future It’s hardly surprising that the book market has ber 2019 in Frankfurt’s reacted too. Authors are approaching the Anthro­ Humankind Paulskirche, to honour pocene in diverse ways: as a fascinating event, as a force of an exceptional visual Starts a scientific provocation, an ecological nightmare, artist who has continu­ a catalyst for key debates on the concepts of nature ally campaigned for ‘nature’ and ‘culture’, or as a wake-up call for per­ peace and social justice sonal action. and whose entire Here The world of the Anthropocene is as new as it is reason for this is that German authors have had photographic oeuvre disquieting. With our gigantic cities, we humans something of a head start. Not only does Paul lends a sense of are creating artificial structures of stone, metal Crutzen live in Mainz, near Frankfurt, but German urgency to the global The Age of and glass that extend across ever wider areas of cultural institutes were the first to take up the debate surrounding land mass. We synthesise minerals, along with subject in a way that had public appeal. For a nature conservation Human Influence on Nature new kinds of radioactive isotopes and elements number of years, Berlin’s Haus der Kulturen der and environmental and the Climate being deposited in rock layers. We extract raw Welt (House of World Cultures) led an interna­ protection.

15 tional discussion and art project sponsored by the magazine Dritte Natur, for example, focuses on German Bundes­tag, and the Deutsches Museum the dissolving boundaries between nature and (German Museum) in Munich, one of the world’s culture. How can we view as natural a hurricane largest technology museums, held a special exhi­ that draws its energy from man-made global bition that attracted lots of visitors. These projects warming? Or rock formed from plastic sediments

have given German-speaking authors plenty of or mining slag? © Anja Meyer Steffen Richter, inspiration, producing a wealth of new titles. Previously untouched nature is turning into Andreas Rötzer (ed.) ‘touched nature’ and this has an impact on us all. Extending the bound­ Dritte Natur Consequently, there is no lack of calls for indivi­d­ aries of art through (Matthes Seitz) uals to take personal action. Everyone needs to the materials used and The biannual maga- German cultural zine Dritte Natur help avert the climate crisis, warn the #FridaysFor­ the positioning of the illuminates the institutes were Future activists Luisa Neubauer and Alexander works: land art. simultaneities, Repenning in their book Vom Ende der Klimakrise – Andy Goldsworthy’s interplay and feed- the first to take up back between which, in contrast to other works, strikes an opti­ ‘Sentinelle’, Alpes de nature and culture. the subject mistic note. Haute Provence. The question of when the Anthropocene will be officially declared Earth’s new epoch is still open. Numerous works are devoted specifically to the The hottest candidate for a start date is 1945 to Anthropocene, such as the recently published 1950, when the fallout from nuclear weapons Hans Joachim Schellnhuber book Anthropozän zur Einführung by Eva Horn und explosions and the first global wave of plastic Selbstver­ Hanno Bergthaller, or the anthology Willkommen consumption altered the Earth. At any rate, the Christian Schwägerl brennung im Anthropozän by the Deutsches Museum. Other notion of the Anthropocene is already changing is a political and (C. Bertelsmann) A sobering works explore popular subjects – such as the life our thinking about the relationship between environmental jour­ report on the self-­ of the environmental pioneer Alexander von humanity, nature and technology. We now realise nalist living in Berlin. destructive Humboldt – in the context of Earth’s new epoch. that this is about much more than the sum of our He works for outlets consequences of unchecked global The engagement even of usually rather reserved environmental problems – it’s about consciously such as FAZ, GEO warming. German natural scientists is notable – such as shaping the planet’s future, which is why leading and YaleE360, and is climate researcher Hans Joachim Schellnhuber in politicians such as German Chancellor Angela co-founder of his book Selbstverbrennung or biologist Matthias Merkel regularly reference the Anthropocene in www.riffreporter.de. Glaubrecht in his newly published Das Ende der their speeches. The science historian Jürgen Renn, In 2010 he published Evolution. co-author of Das Anthropozän, says that it is not Menschenzeit Luisa Neubauer, German authors see the Anthropocene as far simply about formalizing a new geological epoch, (Riemann), the first Alexander Repenning more than just a specialist field – it’s an absolutely but about developing a much deeper awareness of widely read book Vom Ende der fundamental topic that affects everyone. The our own role in the Earth’s future. ◊ in Germany on the Klimakrise Anthropocene. (Klett-Cotta) ‘We are the first to It was the impetus for experience climate two major projects at crisis and the Proposes various solutions the Haus der Kulturen last who can make for stopping climate change: a difference.’ Esther Gonstalla’s der Welt and the Luisa Neubauer Das Klimabuch (Oekom) Deutsches Museum.

Matthias Glaubrecht Bernd Scherer, Das Ende der Jürgen Renn (ed.) Evolution Esther Gonstalla Eva Horn, Das Anthropozän Nina Möllers, (C. Bertelsmann) Das Klimabuch Hanno Bergthaller (Matthes & Seitz) Christian Today, humanity (Oekom) Anthropozän zur The current situa- Schwägerl, Helmuth has mutated into Everything you Einführung tion. With pieces by Trischler (ed.) the Earth’s greatest need to know about (Junius) Jane Bennett, Willkommen predator and most climate change. ‘The authors begin Dipesh Chakrabarty, im Anthropozän crucial evolutionary Complex inter­ by offering us Paul Edwards, (Deutsches factor. It threatens connections and well-presented key Anne Peters, Peter Museum) the existence of scientific data in facts, before going Sloterdijk, Benjamin The catalogue for all living beings – 50 easy-to-under- on to explore wider Steininger and the exhibition of the including itself. stand infographics. issues.’ FAZ others. same name.

16 17 THE ANNIVERSARY OF A GREAT EUROPEAN

Happy Birthday Beethoven!

buchmesse.de/ nniversaries give publishers a welcome the epitome of ‘classical music’. Kirsten Jüngling magazine/beethoven opportunity to honour famous people has also been looking for clues, and uses numerous Mcall Richard © Pixabay, More information with new books. So it’s no surprise that quotes from letters, reports and anecdotes to Graffiti on a wall in Verona, Italy. about the featured Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birth­ illuminate Ludwig, the man behind the Beethoven Aday has prompted not only an impressive range of myth. In Beethoven. Der Schöpfer und sein Univer­ humorous, empathetic love letter to a quirky influence of Beethoven’s symphonies down the titles in German and English can be concerts and recordings of his musical oeuvre, but sum, Martin Geck investigates the key influences Beethoven as he struggles with the trials of every­ centuries and their ability, even today, to transport found here. a number of new books on the character and work on the composer – the enigmatic web of relation­ day life. us into a state of rapture. He tries to figure out of probably the most frequently performed classi­ ships, ideas and themes that shaped his unique Beethoven is regarded as one of the most impor­ their magnetic pull – and reveals the recordings cal composer in the world. works. Geck, a musicologist and one of the top tant ambassadors of European culture; his works you should definitely listen to. The logo of the Ger­ One particularly impressive example is the experts on Beethoven, analyses the composer’s are part of the cultural heritage of humanity. Even the world of crime has discovered Beetho­ man Jubilee cele­ 430-­page biography Akkord der Welt by music universal significance and timeless topicality – and Musicologist Hans-Joachim Hinrichsen focuses ven. Musicologist Oliver Buslau’s crime novel brations derives from historian Matthias Henke, who has spent years achieves the almost impossible: bringing Beetho­ on the age of ideas that informed Beethoven’s Feuer im Elysium is set around the time of the Beethoven himself: working his way through source materials. Henke ven’s music to life in words. By contrast, the music, looking at the intellectual currents of the Ninth Symphony’s premiere at Vienna’s Carin­ when he signed his challenges many of the common labels and gener­ approach of cabaret artist, author and music con­ ‘revolutionary’ era and how these became the thian Gate Theatre on 7 May 1824. It’s a lovely scores he sometimes alisations about Beethoven, exploring how the in­ noisseur Konrad Beikircher is rather different: foundation of the composer’s musical message. addition to the very diverse range of books cele­ omitted the vowels novator and giant of Viennese Classicism became his biography Der Ludwig – jetzt mal so gesehen is a In Rausch und Stille, Karl-Heinz Ott examines the brating the great man’s 250th birthday. ◊ and wrote ‘Bthvn’. Ode to Freedom: in 1989, Leonard Bernstein conducted Beethoven’s Sym­phony No. 9 at Martin Geck Christmas concerts Beethoven Karl-Heinz Ott (Pantheon) in East and West Rausch und Stille What was Beet­ Berlin with musicians (Hoffmann & hoven’s relation- Kirsten Jüngling Oliver Buslau Matthias Henke from France, Great Campe) ship with Goethe, Beethoven Feuer im Elysium Akkord der Welt A winner for Napoleon and (Propyläen) (Emons) (Hanser) Britain, the USA, connoisseurs and Schubert? He was a genius Can a symphony Beyond idolatry: the Soviet Union and beginners alike: How important with wit and a sense bring about an innovative both German states – ‘One of the most was he to Richard of humour. But freedom? Not with­ portrait of Ludwig beautiful books Wagner, Glenn he was also a man out a dangerous van Beethoven, and replaced the word on Beethoven.’ Gould or Aldous who wrestled with web of intrigue and caught between ‘Joy’ with ‘Freedom’. (Das Blaue Sofa) Huxley? life’s challenges. clandestine politics. Bonn and Vienna.

18 19 GERMAN STORIES ON SCREEN © X Filme, X Verleih © X Filme, A BOOK IS A FILM IS A GAME buchmesse.de/ The Frankfurter Buchmesse promotes networking magazine/film between the book and film industries. More information about the featured titles in German ast year, 2019, saw a boom in screen books by Zeruya Shalev, Daniel Glattauer, Petra and English can be adaptations. From Ferdinand von Schi- Hammesfahr and Pascal Mercier among others. found here. rach’s Der Fall Collini, to Siegfried Lenz’ It’s a long road from book to film and good per­­ Marc-Uwe Kling’s Känguru is an opinionated roommate. Deutschstunde, from Judith Kerr’s chil- sonal networks are essential for successful nego­ Ldrens’ classic Als Hitler das rosa Kaninchen stahl to tia­tion, says Sibylle Seidel. For many years now 2020 and is supported by the Federal Foreign Recent literary Das geheime Leben Deutschstunde Alfons Zitterbacke, well known in the former GDR: the Frankfurter Buchmesse has been working to Office. The tour gives selected publishers and adaptations based on der Bäume (Germany 2019) the appetite of film producers for literary material support networking between the film and book lit­er­­ary agencies from German-speaking countries German books: (Germany 2020) Sigfried Lenz knows no bounds. The crucial factor is a book’s industries. Since 2006, rights holders have been the opportunity to make presentations at the film Peter Wohlleben Directed by Christian Als Hitler das rosa success, as is the case with the Känguru-Chroniken pitching material they think has potential at ‘Books festival. Directed by Jörg Schwochow Kaninchen stahl Kathrin Grün by Marc-Uwe Kling, coming to cinema screens at Berlinale’, an event held under the aegis of the With the networking day A Book is a Film is a Adolph, Jan Haft (Germany 2019) Babylon Berlin is Head of PR and this year. But classics like Narziss und Goldmund European Film Market. In 2020 around 170 inter- Game, the Frankfurter Buchmesse has created Judith Kerr Die Känguru- (Germany, since 2017) Communications at by Hermann Hesse or Döblin’s Berlin Alexander- national texts were submitted; of that number, another format to bring people from the film and Directed by Chroniken Volker Kutscher Frankfurter Buch- platz are also of interest to directors. Material 12 were presented at Books at Berlinale at the end book industries together: around 60 participants Caroline Link (Germany 2020) Directed by messe. She has from Germany is clearly popular among inter­ of February. (See next page). will discuss ideas via pitches, case studies, analysing Marc-Uwe Kling Tom Tykwer, previously worked national producers too – the film rights to Daniel Attendance at the major international festivals­ trends and panel discussions. The event will take Mein Lotta Leben – Directed by Dani Levy Achim von Borries, for DFF Deutsches Kehlmann’s Tyll have been secured by Netflix. is also part of the networking strategy initiated­ place at the Fair in 2020. The Frankfurter Buch- Alles Bingo mit Hendrik Handloegte Filminstitut & ‘There are books whose message we can all relate by Frankfurter Buchmesse: this year, visits to messe recognises outstanding screen adaptations Flamingo Zwischen uns die Filmmuseum and has to, biographies of famous or infamous characters, the Cannes International Film Festival and the with the Frankfurter Buchmesse Film Awards. (Germany 2019) Mauer published various or books with great drama and suspense, which Toronto International Film Festival are on the pro- There are two categories: ‘Best International Lit- Alice Pantermüller (Germany 2019) articles on the subject work in every medium,’ says Sibylle Seidel of the gramme. The two-day publishers’ tour to the erary Adaptation’ and ‘Best International Adapta- Directed by Katja Hildebrand of literary adaptation. Seidel Media Agency. She’s sold the film rights to Croisette takes place on the 18th and 19th of May tion for Children and Young Adults’. ◊ Neele Leana Vollmar Directed by Norbert Lechner

20 21 GERMAN STORIES – SOON ON SCREEN?

ORIGINAL TITLE: ORIGINAL TITLE: ORIGINAL TITLE: ORIGINAL TITLE: Some of the books on this spread were ALS DAS LEBEN WIEDER MARIANENGRABEN UNTER WÖLFEN WINTERBIENEN presented at this year’s SCHÖN WURDE (Mariana Trench) (Among Wolves) (Winter Bees) Books at Berlinale. (When life was beautiful again) If you are a producer AUTHOR: Jasmin Schreiber AUTHOR: Alex Beer AUTHOR: Norbert Scheuer and would like to learn AUTHOR: Kerstin Sgonina GENRE: Tragicomedy, Road movie, GENRE: Historical crime GENRE: Drama more about these GENRE: Period drama Coming of age PUBLISHING HOUSE: Limes PUBLISHING HOUSE: C.H.Beck books, please contact PUBLISHING HOUSE: Wunderlich PUBLISHING HOUSE: Eichborn PUBLICATION DATE: November 2019 PUBLICATION DATE: July 2019 the rights holder. PUBLICATION DATE: June 2020 PUBLICATION DATE: February 2020 FILM RIGHTS HOLDER: Gattys Global, FILM RIGHTS HOLDER: Verlag C.H.Beck, FILM RIGHTS HOLDER: Kerstin Sgonina / FILM RIGHTS HOLDER: Elisabeth Ruge Agentur, www.gattysglobal.de www.chbeck.de The 2020 Berlinale Agentur Petra Eggers, www.agentur-eggers.de elisabeth-ruge-agentur.de OFFICIAL SELECTION: Books at Berlinale 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Books at Berlinale 2020 marks the 70th OFFICIAL SELECTION: Books at Berlinale 2020 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Books at Berlinale 2020 anniversary of the A mysterious crime, an old Germany, January 1944: Berlin International­ Hamburg, 1954: Three A severely depressed young love and a murderous double Egidius Arimond, a laid-off Film Festival. The strong young women launch woman, a terminally ill 83- game. To save his family, teacher, is in constant anniversary festival a beauty parlour on wheels. ­­year-old, an elderly German a Jewish antiquarian has to danger. Not just because of (20 February – They soon become the talk Shepherd mongrel, a chicken infiltrate the Gestapo and his love affairs or his epilepsy, 1 March 2020) will of the town. Their customers with a broken leg – and become a spy among wolves. but because of his daring also be the first festival are delighted – the beauty an unbearable feeling of loss. attempts to rescue Jews by headed by director treatments help them Miraculously, all of this smuggling them concealed in duo Mariette Rissen- to forget their sorrows and turns into a hilarious, heart- specially prepared beehives. beek (Executive relax. warming adventure. Director) and Carlo Chatrian (Artistic Director). ORIGINAL TITLE: ORIGINAL TITLE: ORIGINAL TITLE: ORIGINAL TITLE: SCHATTENSEITE DIE UNAUSSTEHLICHEN & FRITZ UND ALFRED ROTTER MEIN SOMMER MIT ANJA (The Dark Site) ICH – Das Leben ist ein Rechenfehler Ein Leben zwischen Theaterglanz und Tod im Exil (My Summer with Anja) (The Unbearables & Me – Life’s an Error in (Fritz and Alfred Rotter. A Life Caught Between AUTHOR: Jonas Ems Calculation) Theatrical Glamour and Death in Exile) AUTHOR: Steffen Schroeder GENRE: Drama GENRE: Coming of age, Debut PUBLISHING HOUSE: Ullstein AUTHOR: Vanessa Walder AUTHOR: Peter Kamber PUBLISHING HOUSE: Rowohlt Berlin PUBLICATION DATE: November 2019 GENRE: Coming of age GENRE: Biopic PUBLICATION DATE: January 2020 FILM RIGHTS HOLDER: Ullstein Buchverlage, PUBLISHING HOUSE: Loewe PUBLISHING HOUSE: E. A. Seemann Henschel FILM RIGHTS HOLDER: Rowohlt Medienagentur, www.ullstein-buchverlage.de PUBLICATION DATE: June 2019 PUBLICATION DATE: March 2020 www.rowohlt-medien.de FILM RIGHTS HOLDER: Loewe Verlag, FILM RIGHTS HOLDER: E. A. Seemann Henschel Three students lead an www.loewe-verlag.de GmbH & Co. KG, www.seemann-henschel.de Konrad, a sensitive 14-year- ordinary teenage life until old boy from a middle-class the Dark Site changes Eleven-year-old foster kid The true story of the rise and family in Munich, and his everything. Slowly but surely, Enni gets transferred to fall of two Jewish brothers friend Holger, a boy with the website starts to reveal a secluded boarding school who are the theatre kings of mild disabilities, have the the most intimate secrets and soon stumbles across Berlin in the glamourous summer of a lifetime when of their classmates. secrets involving the entire 1920s, but lose everything they meet wild child and staff, which seem to revolve due to the economic crises runaway Anja. around twelve-year-old and the Nazi regime and die Dante and a long-forgotten mysteriously in exile. accident.

22 23 ARCHITECTURAL BOOK AWARD

Dirk Somers (ed.) Bovenbouw Architectuur. Living the Exotic Everyday Eve Blau, Ivan Rupnik (Flanders Architecture Baku. Institute) Oil and urbanism (Park Books)

Zvi Efrat (ed.) The Object of Zionism. The Architecture of Israel (Spector Books) Kirill Gluschenko (ed.) Veneč. Welcome to the Ideal (Gluschenkoizdat)

Claudia Moll Theodor & Otto Froebel. Almut Grunewald (ed.) he ten best architectural books in 2019. The prize, unique in Die Welt der Giedions. Gartenkultur in Zürich its kind and now highly regarded, honours the best architec- im 19. Jahrhundert Sigfried Giedion und (gta) Carola Giedion-Welcker tural books of a year. 100 architectural and art book publish- im Dialog ers from all over the world accepted the joint invitation to (Scheidegger & Spiess) participate. A jury made up of external experts and representatives of DAM met to select the year’s ten best architectural books from 227 entries. They based their decision on criteria such as design, content, quality of material and finishing, innovation, and topicality. As an honorary award, there is no prize money involved. Rather, the prize winners are presented at the Book Fair. The DAM Architec- Dirk Laureys (ed.) tural Book Award was initiated in 2009 and ever since it has been Léon Stynen. met with increasing response. ◊ A Life of Architecture 1899–1990 (Flanders Architecture StadtBauKultur Institute) NRW (ed.) https://dam-online.de/ Architektur der 1950er en/program/ bis 1970er Jahre architecture-prizes/ im Ruhrgebiet. Als die Uta Hassler (ed.) Zukunft gebaut wurde Vom Baustoff zum dam-architectural-­ (Kettler) Bauprodukt. book-award/ Ausbaumaterialien in der Schweiz 1950–1970 (Hirmer)

Eveline Schneider, Raffaella Endrizzi (ed.) Lochergut – © Hartmuth Schröder © Hartmuth Ein Portrait (Quart Verlag)

24 25 ON WORK BETWEEN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES I have translated Nino Haratischwilli into Spanish is magic in the storyline, but that is not what I and what an experience that has been for me, mean. What I am referring to is the magic of a translator from German who is completely a narrative that draws us into a world of women immersed in Georgian. I am specialized in German who suffer, who love, who endure; a narrative that culture and, all of a sudden, the characters I give opens up a different view on these women’s voice to in Spanish speak German, evidently, but his­tory. Women who come from another culture they come from a different culture, different land­ but share with us nonetheless their many fears, CROSSING BORDERS scapes, different worlds of experience. I have never expectations and hopes. So go ahead, come in and been to Tbilisi, so the images I depict for the enjoy the magic. reader are verbal ones, a product of a linguistic interpretation (although, naturally, Google Images Carlos Fortea was born in When I was asked to translate Daniel Kehlmann’s Kehlmann depicts Tyll’s artistic brilliance with has helped me out a tad …). Paradoxically, all of Madrid in 1963. He is a Pro­ novel Tyll, I knew it was going to push me to im­ linguistic elegance himself, juggling the words like these have enriched my experience with Nino fes­sor at the Complutense prove my abilities. What I didn’t realise: not only a rainbow across the page, always with irony and Haratischwilli, making it purer and, most notably, University of Madrid and a translation-wise. The main character, Tyll Ulen­ wit close at hand, alongside the dark realities of truly authentic. Without the strong foundation literary translator with over spiegel, who appears in various roles throughout the Thirty Years’ War. The translator, of course, is of my knowledge, I have gone back to being the © private a hundred novels to his cred­ Frankfurter the chapters, grows up as the son of a curious required to do the same. reader I once was and I have regained my former it, including works by Thomas Bernhard, Günter Verlagsanstalt 2017 Alfaguara 2018 and confused miller. To pass the time in the deep role of a reader as a creator of worlds. Translating Grass, Stefan Zweig, Alfred Döblin, E.T.A. woods around the mill, he starts juggling with rocks Jesper Festin, born 1988 in this book also meant diving into history. I discov­ Hoffman, Rafik Schami, Daniel Wolf and Nino and walking the tightrope, practicing tirelessly. Uppsala, Sweden, is a literary ered that, shamefully, Georgia is largely unknown Haratischwili among others. As a novelist, he is the Later on, these skills broaden his opportunities in a translator from German. He both to Spanish and Western European readers. author of four young-adult novels and two novels strict­ly limited world. As an act of loyalty, I started lives in Berlin and Uppsala. But most importantly, I enjoyed the magic. There for adults. juggling myself. Not with rocks but with soft Since his debut with the chil­ leather balls, of a kind that Tyll only later, as a © private dren’s book Ich groß du klein disciple of a callous jester, gets his hands on. Not by Lilli L’Arronge in 2015, he has translated about Rowohlt 2017 only did I find it to be a soothing foil to the desk 10 other works into Swedish, including Außer sich TRANSLATION IS ABOUT Albert Bonniers 2019 work, it also gave me closer access to Tyll’s world, by Sasha Marianna Salzmann and Die Kieferninseln which is at once distant and strangely familiar. by Marion Poschmann. Tyll is his latest translation, TEARING DOWN LINGUISTIC WALLS (My tightrope skills remain unexplored, however). published in 2019.

My translation of The Zookeepers’ War by journalist book’s jokes are actually funny. Why would zoo Jan Mohnhaupt tells the story of two rival zoos in director Klös be dubbed a dumpling? And why do Literary translation involves walking through inter­ guity, not to lecture the reader on the quotation divided Berlin. Released in English to coincide with so many of the zookeepers’ surnames (Gewalt, nal and external spaces which are similar to those mimicry, allowing the mysterious tone of the the 30th anniversary of the end of the Wall, it Adler) seem oddly suited to their professions? This known to the author. In the labyrinthine novel Hungarian to sound as utterly strange in the trans­ paints a poignant picture of a society forced apart uncannily timely book builds understanding of a Alle Tage, which has no truck with Balkan Orien­ lation as it does in the German original, however by the toxic and unsightly concrete-and-barbed- seemingly remote time and place, with subjects – talism, you won’t find any toponyms, just the place much you might want to decode it. Translating is wire Berlin Wall. Many of the book’s gripping borders, cages, family separations, walls – that are name’s first letter, but you still recognise particular the breaking down of language barriers, not the animal stories involve border crossings, including shockingly familiar to US readers. (Balkan) countries, particular (Berlin) districts and asphalting of mountain tracks. a clandestine exchange of coveted ‘communist you even get to some underground bars which feel tigers’ for ‘capitalist mountain tapirs.’ Most poign­ Shelley Frisch, Ph.D. Ger­ both familiar and really weird. Writers often work Amalija Maček lectures in ant are animal shipments carrying human cargo man literature, Princeton close to the edge and translators must follow suit. Translation Studies at the across the border. In one cloak-and-dagger epi­ University, taught at Colum­ My working relationship with Terézia Mora was University of Ljubljana. She sode, a zookeeper escapes to the West by sharing a bia University and Haverford both professional and friendly. She sent me a works as a conference inter­ narrow crate with a listless moose, whose warm College for many years be­ whole data file with answers to the (often similar) preter and is the Director of breath on the zookeeper’s neck lends the fraught © private fore turning to translation questions from a fellow translator. The strangest © private the MA in Interpreting and circumstances a cosy touch as the zookeeper full-­time. Her translations, which include biog­ ­ra­ thing for me was a quotation from a Croatian war Director of the International Commission of the strains to hear guards searching each crate. To phies of Nietzsche, Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Hanser 2017 Luchterhand 2004 song. Geographically close, but not my world at all. Slovenian Book Agency. She has translated the enable the zookeeper to exit the crate, it was fitted Dietrich/Riefenstahl (dual biography), and Kafka, Simon & Schuster 2019 Litera 2008 Translating (and reading) Alle Tage is an intertex­ works of Josef Winkler, Ilse Aichinger, Marlen with special flaps, but the moose itself was unflap­ have been awarded numerous translation prizes. tual guessing game. The author (herself a prize­ Haushofer, Peter Handke, Ulrich Peltzer, Bertolt pable. Translation is about tearing down linguistic She is currently completing a translation of film­ winning translator) advised again and again in the Brecht, Martin Pollack and Ilma Rakusa amongst walls. This translation contains ‘stealth glosses’ maker Billy Wilder’s early essays and a study of data file: ‘just leave it as it is’. That chimed with my others. From Terézia Mora’s work she has trans­ embedded in the text to serve as cultural bridges Early German Romanticism. approach. Not to exhaustively explain the ambi­ lated the novel Alle Tage. to geography, word play, and tips as to why the

26 27 SELECTED TRANSLATIONS Simon Strauß Sieben Nächte Philipp Winkler Takis Würger (Aufbau) Hool Der Club An unnamed pro­ (Aufbau) (Kein & Aber) tagonist is drawn The best German An international­ into a scheme debut 2016: An bestseller from a where each night at intimate, devastat­­ brilliant young 7 o’clock, he must ing portrait of German writer, set commit one of the working-class, post-­ in the hallowed 7 sins. The most industrial urban halls of Cambridge reviewed, and rec­ life on the fringes University, a smold­ Fifty Books That ommended German and a story about ering story of class, language debut masculinity in privilege, and mat­ Travel of the last decade. the 21. century. ters of the heart.

buchmesse.de/ Contemporary storytelling by German, magazine/50books Swiss and Austrian writers More information about the featured Dana Grigorcea titles in German Karen Duve Das primäre Macht Gefühl der and English can be (Galiani) Schuldlosigkeit found here. A hugely entertain­ (Ullstein) hen American friends ask me which book the past and the future, of East and West. There ing novel about With humor and by a German-language writer or which are strong female voices and authors who live and feminism, mascu­ wit, Grigorcea Fiction/ linity and the battle describes a world author I would recommend, I pause. I write between several languages as well as familiar Literary Fiction between the sexes full of myriad Wpause for a long time shuffling all these novels in names who have shaped our literature for decades. for domination surprises where new Riky Stock has been in charge of my head and thinking of not just the authors but There are crime writers and bestselling authors. which is full of and old cultures grotesque humour weave together – a cultural projects at also of the wonderful translators who have brought There are award-winning literary novelists and and highly-charged world bursting with the New York office these books alive in English. Where to start? We experts in history and neuroscience, travel writers eroticism. character and spirit. of the Frankfurter have so many genres, books, and authors that are and recorders of memories and diaries. There are Buchmesse New York available in English thanks to talented translators illustrators and children’s and YA authors. Olga Grjasnowa (formerly the German and brilliant English-language editors. I can’t possibly name just one author. I can name Gott ist nicht Nino Haratischwili Book Office) since There are fresh voices exploring questions of con- fifty and I could name more. Here are 50 Books schüchtern Das achte Leben Rudolph Herzog (Aufbau) (Frankfurter Truggestalten 2002. temporary society, of adapting and belonging, of that Travel: ◊ From one of Verlagsanstalt) (Galiani) Germany’s most The saga of a Herzog’s keen talented literary Georgian family at observational eye voices comes this the start of the and acid wit turn intricately woven twentieth century – modern city stories story of brutality, its intricate, inter­ into deliciously Debut Novel/ loss, and how hope connected lives, dark satires that can shine through its losses, triumphs, ride the knife-­ Literary Fiction when darkness sadnesses, and edge of suspenseful feels overwhelming. great loves. and terrifying.

Abbas Khider Pierre Jarawan Daniel Kehlmann Ohrfeige Am Ende bleiben Sascha Marianne Lutz Seiler Annette Hess Tyll (btb) die Zedern Salzmann Kruso Deutsches Haus (Rowohlt) Khider tells the (Piper) Ausser sich (Suhrkamp) (Ullstein) Retelling the myth story of Karim, an In this moving and (Suhrkamp) The lyrical, best­ Frankfurt 1963: of Tyll Ulenspiegel, Iraqi refugee living gripping novel about Beside Myself is selling 2014 this book is is a har­ a story about the in Germany. family secrets, the disturbing and German Book Prize rowing yet uplifting devas­tation of war In our era of mass love, and friendship, exhilarating story winner. An enig­ coming-of-­age and a beguiling migration, much Pierre Jarawan does of a family across matic Bildungs­ story about a young artist’s decision never of it driven by war for Lebanon what four generations. roman, chronicling female translator to die, Kehlmann and its aftermath, Khaled Hosseini’s At its heart is a of the final days who fights to ex­ wrote an enchanting A Slap in the Face The Kite Runner twin’s search for of communism in pose the dark truths work of magical re­ could not be more did for Afghanistan. her brother. East Germany. of her nation’s past. alism and adventure. timely.

28 29 Anna Kim Die große Oliver Bottini Heimkehr Esther Kinsky Im Auftrag (Suhrkamp) Am Fluss Marc-Uwe Kling Alex Beer der Väter Espionage story, (Matthes & Seitz) Qualityland Der zweite Reiter (DuMont) political and histor­ River is a remark­ (Ullstein) (Limes) The third in the ical novel in one, able novel, full of A hilarious, The Second Rider Black Forest In- The Great Home- poignant images internationally­ is the first volume vestigations series: coming is about and poetic observa­ bestselling­ novel Crime Novel/ in a gripping Freiburg detective friendship, loyalty tions, an ode to in the tradition Thriller and bestselling Louise Boni and betrayal, about nature, edgelands, of Kurt Vonnegut, series featuring and her colleagues the impossible life and the transience Douglas Adams, police agent are put under in a dictatorship. of all things human. and George Orwell August Emmerich. enormous pressure.

Jo Lendle Silke Scheuermann Volker Kutscher Alles Land Marion Poschmann Die Stunde Wolfgang Die Akte (Deutsche Verlags­ Die Kieferninsel zwischen Hund Simone Buchholz Herrndorf Vaterland anstalt) (Suhrkamp) und Wolf Beton Rouge Sand (KiWi) An evocative novel Shortlisted for The (Schöffling) (Suhrkamp) (Rowohlt) The international about the life and Man Booker A tale of disorien­ Chastity Riley and This darkly sophis­ bestselling crime work of Alfred International Prize tation in a modern, her new sidekick ticated literary series #4: a first- Wegener, son of a 2019 – a charming, fundamentally Ivo investigate the thriller is the last rate historical thrill­ German minister, playful, profound rootless society: case of newspaper novel Wolfgang er about inspector known ultimately tale of lost souls the story of two executives who Herrndorf com­ Gereon Rath’s hunt for helping develop in search of sisters and the have been caged pleted before for a mysterious theories of conti­ transformation in surprises life con­ and tortured out­ his untimely death contract killer in nental drift. modern Japan. fronts them with. side their offices. in 2013. Berlin, July 1932.

Fifty Books That Travel I look for books that have stood out, that have won acclaim, that tell a good story and

Peter Stamm Martin Suter convey something distinctive about the culture or Die sanfte Elefant Gleichgültigkeit (Diogenes) the history or what’s going on in the world. Roland der Welt What would you Schimmelpfennig (S. Fischer) do if you woke up Cal Barksdale, Skyhorse Publishing An einem klaren, Stamm exposes a to see a living, eiskalten fundamental human glow-in-­the-dark, Januarmorgen zu yearning: to con­ tiny, pink elephant? Beginn des quer life’s mysteries The international 21. Jahrhunderts­ by forcing answers bestseller about 20th Century (S. Fischer) to questions that friendship, second A contemporary have yet to be fully chances – and a Fiction Berlin fairy tale. asked. tiny pink elephant.

Birgit Vanderbeke Martin Walser Benedict Wells Ich freue mich, Ein liebender Vom Ende der Ingeborg Bachmann dass ich Mann Einsamkeit Malina Walter Kempowski geboren bin (Rowohlt) (Diogenes) (Suhrkamp) Uwe Johnson Mark und Bein (Piper) The love between Told through the Malina, originally Jahrestage (Knaus) West Germany in 73-year-old Goethe lives of three published in (Suhrkamp) Homeland walks the early 1960s is a and 19-year-old siblings, Wells has German in 1971, the From a Year in the a tightrope between difficult place for Ulrike von Levetzov written a heartfelt first and only novel Life of Gesine black humour a seven-year-old causes a storm of novel about loss and by the poet Inge­ Cresspahl – quite and horror. In the East German refu­ emotion and he loneliness, family borg Bachmann, is simply one of the end, neither gee, particularly begins The Marien- and love. Winner of the book of an great books of our German suffering when no one will bad Elegy, one of the European Union incan­tation, a con­ time. Two-volume nor German guilt listen to you. his last great works. Prize for Literature. fession, a passion. boxed set. can be suppressed.

30 31 Aeham Ahmad Graphic Novel Literary Und die Vögel werden singen Collections (S. Fischer) An astonishing but true account of Fifty Books That Travel a pianist’s escape from Syria to Ger- Raoul Schrott many offers a deeply Das Geschlecht personal perspective Aisha Franz der Engel on the most devas- Shit Is Real (S. Fischer) Memoir tating refugee crisis (Reprodukt) A playful, often of this century. Aisha Franz is a ironic take on the master of portray- breviary in the ing feminine form of letters that loneliness and con- follows the Biblical Katja Petrowskaja Brigitte Reimann fusion while keeping mu­tations of the Ernst Jünger Vielleicht Esther Ich bedaure nichts her characters angel from Babylon Strahlungen 1 (Suhrkamp) (Aufbau) tough and real. to the present day. (Klett-Cotta) An unique and ex­ Frank and refresh- Ernst Jünger was tra­­ordinarily moving ing, these diaries one of twentieth-­ debut memoir that provide a candid century Germany’s pieces together the account of life in most important – fascinating story socialist Germany. and most contro- of one woman’s With an amusing Bringing books from around versial – writers, family across 20th tone, they contain From: Aisha Franz Shit Is Real, who faithfully kept century Russia, details of her love Drawn & Quarterly 2018 a journal in occu- Ukraine, Poland affairs, writing and the world to American readers, pied Paris. and Germany. reflections. who have been historically underserved with translations, is both a pleasure and a privilege. Non-fiction Kids Peter Blackstock, Grove Atlantic Heinz Bude Das Gefühl der Henning Beck Bernd Brunner Welt Kathrin Wiehle Peter Wohlleben Irren ist nützlich! Als die Winter (Hanser) Mein kleines Meer Hörst du, wie die (Goldmann) noch Winter In the aftermath of (Beltz) Bäume sprechen? In this mind-­ waren the financial crisis, Dive into an ocean (Oetinger) bending book, an (Galiani) many people feel journey with Did you know that neuroscientist This lovingly illus- worse off. How can friendly sea crea- trees have parents, explains why per- trated meditation feelings be shared tures Seal, Crab and tree kids go to fectionism is point- on winter entwines by many people, and Seagull. This school? Wohlleben less – and argues the spectacular and how do these environmentally shares the mysteries that mistakes, mis- with the everyday, shared feelings friendly board book and magic of the steps, and flaws are capturing the shape the course of is made from 100% forest in language the keys to success. essence of a season. events? recycled materials. kids will love.

Navid Kermani Entlang den Daniel Schönpflug Kerstin Gier Gräben Jan Mohnhaupt Kometenjahre Wolkenschloss (C.H. Beck) Der Zoo der (S. Fischer) (Fischer FJB) Jens Raschke, In September 2016 anderen With novelistic Witty and charm- Jens Rassmus (ill.) Kermani set out to (Hanser) virtuosity, historian ing, Gier’s contem- Schlafen Fische? travel along the The unbelievable Daniel Schönpflug porary young adult (Mixtvision) trenches that are true story of describes this novel follows a What do you do now re-emerging in the Cold War’s watershed year as girl as she navigates when your little Europe, from his strangest proxy war, it was experienced secrets, romance brother becomes home in Cologne to fought between on the ground – and danger in an seriously ill, and the Baltics, south to the zoos on either open-ended, aging grand hotel dies suddenly? Little the Caucasus and side of the Berlin unfathomable,­ its way up in the Swiss From: Jens Raschke, Jens Rassmus (ill.) Jette gives everyone to Isfahan in Iran. Wall. outcome unclear. mountains. Schlafen Fische?, Mixtvision 2017 courage and hope.

32 33 The Five Most Beautiful Books Canada – Guest of Honour Book Heroes Imprint of 2019 2020 2019

In the ‘Most Beautiful Publisher: Frankfurter German Books’ com­ Buchmesse GmbH, Braubachstraße 16, petition, three expert juries D-60311 Frankfurt am Main chose 25 books which they considered to be Director: Juergen Boos Project Lead: Bärbel Becker exemplary in terms of (responsible according to their design, concept and © vntr - media German press law) production quality. Responsible Editor (text and pictures): 1 2 Art Books © vntr - media © vntr - media Karin Herber-Schlapp Alexander Kluge, Art Director: Ben Lerner 3 1 The German Book Prize 2019 was awarded to Hendrik Hellige, Caroline Fortin, President of Canada FBM2020 (left), and Maike Truschkowski Schnee über Canadian author, Margaret Atwood. Saša Stanišić for Herkunft | 2 The finalists of the Venedig German Book Prize 2019 (f.l.t.r.): Jackie Thomae, Graphics and design: textgrafik, (Spector Books) Canada’s vibrant book industry will be the star of this celebration in 2020. Tonio Schachinger, Raphaela Edelbauer, Norbert Scheuer, Miku Sophie Kühmel | 3 The German Maike Truschkowski This is an incredible and unique opportunity to showcase to the world Translation: how forward-thinking, diverse, rich and very alive this industry is. From Publishers’ Prize was awarded for the first time on 18 October at the Frankfurter Buchmesse. The prize Kat Hall (p. 14–19, rising and emerging writers and illustrators to highly acclaimed and 41–42), renowned authors, we will reveal powerful writing from all literary genres is worth over one million euros and its aim is to boost the economic competitiveness of small, inde- Mandy Wight (p. 4–7, and from French, English and Indigenous voices while still heralding the 20–21, 26, 34–35, 40), myriad of backgrounds that represent our country. pendent publishers. An independent jury selected the 2019 prize winners from a field of 312 submis- Romy Fursland (p. 36–39) Copy Editors Non-fiction Caroline Fortin, President Canada FBM2020 Reimold © Bundesregierung: sions: Hädecke, Kookbooks and Spector Books. (English translation): Jaroslaw Kubiak, Romy Fursland Daniel Wittner, Photographs: Felix Holler, Sebastiao Salgado (p. 14), Günter Karl Bose, Ulrike Frömel (p. 4–7), Julia Blume (ed.) Hartmuth Schröder Name Waffe Stern. Fiction (p. 24–25); Das Emblem Asfa-Wossen Asserate, for further information see der Roten Armee Philipp Hübl et al. Six International Locations copyrights on the pictures Fraktion Tugenden für das in German Novels Illustrations: (Institut für 21. Jahrhundert Cover: Christoph Niemann Buchkunst) (7 Titel im Schuber) Souvenir, © 2017 Diogenes (Nicolai Publishing & Verlag AG, Zurich; Intelligence) for further information see copyrights on the illustrations New chair of the German Publishers & Lithography: Dirk Staudt, Kriftel Booksellers Association Printing: Henrich Druck + Medien GENEVA DAMASCUS STOCKHOLM GmbH I believe in the Nora Bossong Rafik Schami Marlene Streeruwitz © Frankfurter Buchmesse Schutzzone Die geheime Mission Flammenwand future of the book GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, (Suhrkamp) des Kardinals (S. Fischer) March 2020 and of reading. (Hanser) No reproduction without Non-fiction I believe in prior permission of the Terence Hanbury White the freedom of publisher. Der Habicht Children’s (Matthes & Seitz) Books the word, in variety and Felix Bork With financial support from Oh, eine Pflanze! © feinkorn, Gaby Gerster Gaby © feinkorn, ‘bibliodiversity’. the Federal Foreign Office (Eichborn) More information about the featured titles These were the words of Karin Schmidt-Friderichs as she took up her post MOSCOW DOVER – CALAIS MADRID as Head of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association. For Eugen Ruge Ulrike Draesner Paul Ingendaay can be found here: the second time in the history of the Association, there’s a woman in the Metropol Kanalschwimmer Königspark stiftung-buchkunst.de top job. (Rowohlt ) (Mare) (Piper)

© Stiftung Buchkunst / Uwe Dettmar, Frankfurt am Main 34 35 Susanne Weber, READING TIPS FOR PARENTS AND KIDS Simone Veenstra, Antonia Michaelis, Susanne Göhlich Màriam Ben-Arab Cathy Ionescu (ill.) (ill.) (ill.) Die Tierhelfer 1 – Land unter bei Der Gorilla- Igel gut, alles gut Samuel Garten (Oetinger) (Hummelburg) (Ravensburger) There are so many Is Samuel able to The Knowledge Boom When Kathy moves animals out there find a solution for to the city, it takes who need help. Kiri­bati, the islands Judging by current trends in children’s book publishing, the acquisition of knowledge her a while to get Accompany the in the Pacific Ocean can’t start soon enough. Non-fiction books are ploughing new furrows, both in terms of used to all the hus- animal rescuers that are about to tle and to discover on their lifesaving be swallowed up by form and in terms of textual presentation. Knowledge is cool, and is being packaged the green oases. missions! the rising seas? in ever cooler ways. To help navigate this jungle of new publications, here’s a round-up of some of the top trends in German-language children’s book publishing. Karin Müller, Max Held, Timo Usch Luhn Marie Braner (ill.) Grubing (ill.) Mein buchmesse.de/ ature and environmentalism are pressing ‘country bumpkin’ moves to the city and, amidst Das Delfin­ Wild Claws Birkensommer mädchen (Arena) (cbj) magazine/ concerns, and becoming more urgent by the greyness of her unfamiliar new surroundings, (Coppenrath) Ever since the mys- Contrary to all ex- childrensbooks2020 the day. So it’s no wonder the subject is sets out in search of green spaces. Because green- When one of the terious researcher pectations, Emmy’s N trusting dolphins off from Miami set up summer in Finland increasingly filtering through into children’s and ery makes people happy! Modern trends like More information the coast gets into camp in the is a time full of about the featured young adult books. Children’s books in particular ‘urban gardening’ and ‘guerrilla gardening’ are danger, overcaut­ swamps, all the wild friendship and ad- titles in German have always had a special affinity with the natural seen through a child’s eyes, and described with a ious Marie has to animals suddenly venture. Suddenly world as a theme, not least because so many child’s voice. go beyond her own seem to have she remembers and English can be limits to rescue gone mad. Is he what happiness found here. (sometimes very difficult) issues and challenges Early reading books are not to be outdone on the him … to blame? feels like … can be explored in a child-friendly way through the nature front – Antonia Michaelis’s Igel gut, alles use of animal characters. These days it almost feels gut (Oetinger, 8+), for example, is about a club of as though authors, illustrators and publishers are animal rescuers who set out to help the many making it their business to restore our (or rather, different animals in their local neighbourhood, Martina Baumbach, Katia Brandis Alex Falkner Imke Sönnichsen Seawalkers children’s) connection to Mother Nature – a con- including snails, ladybirds and even trapped mam- Silberflut (ill.) (Arena) nection which is being progressively weakened moths (!) Their escapades have all sorts of unin­­ ­ (Arena) Unser Lehrer ist The second book by the advance of industrialisation and urbanisa- ten­ded consequences, which don’t always go down The first book in the ein Elch in this major shape- two-part Silberflut (Thienemann) shifting series by tion. They are doing this both by (re)mythologising well with the other residents. But when a hedge- series: a perilous Merle and Finn are bestselling author and romanticising nature, and by explicitly (re)in­ hog gets into danger, the animal rescuers really adventure with surprised. They’ve Katja Brandis. With tegrating it into stories about everyday life and have to show what they’re made of. thrilling twists and been selected by guest appearances just the right their new teacher’s by the popular dystopian-style thrillers … amount of scare micro pig for a characters from Everyday life & adventure plus nature factor. special sports team. Woodwalkers. Read-aloud gems and more In Land unter bei Samuel by Susanne Weber (Hum­ Daniel Napp’s Wie Fliegenpilz Henri das Laufen melburg, 8+), the theme of climate change is Cautiously, Henri risks a lernte, um einen Baum zu retten (Fischer Sauer- inter­woven with a classic problem: Samuel has to glance … From: Daniel Napp länder, 6+) is a beautifully illustrated read-aloud move house and start a new school (complete with Max Held delivers fast-paced environmental de- Arena, 10+). Book Two has just come out here. Wie Fliegenpilz Henri gem reminiscent of The Secret Life of Trees. nasty bully), all because his climate researcher tective stories in his series Wild Claws (Arena, 9+), And Thienemann has released the first book in its Sylvia Mucke has been das Laufen lernte, um einen Baum zu retten, Fischer In Der Gorilla-Garten, the first book in Simone father has got a new job. Samuel decides his only which is set in a national park. There are now three new Tierwandler series: Unser Lehrer ist ein Elch by editor-in-chief at Sauerländer 2020 Veenstra’s­ Kathy series (Ravensburger, 5+), a chance of happiness lies in helping his father, books in this series about a trio of determined child Martina Baumbach (9+). Eselsohr for more than whilst also quickly figuring out how to save Kiribati environmental activists and adventurers. In Silberflut by Alex Falkner (Arena, 10+), a school ten years. (a group of Pacific islands), in the hope that the Usch Luhn joins in the prevailing celebration of trip to a desert island takes a dramatic turn: six kids islands won’t be submerged beneath the rising nature with Mein Birkensommer (cbj, 10+), a fleet-­ find themselves fighting for survival after a wave of Daniel Napp seas, and Samuel can move home and be with his footed summer novel which transports its reluc- silver mist passes over the island. Once the fog Wie Fliegenpilz Henri das Laufen friends again. tant protagonist to Finland’s forests, where she lifts, they realise that everyone has vanished: the lernte, um einen Karin Müller, author of many books including finds unexpected happiness among the lakes, trees teachers, the group leaders, all the other children. Baum zu retten numerous animal guide books, also uses the trope and diverse wildlife. Nature starts to behave in strange and aggressive (Fischer Sauer- länder) of a child moving to a place where they don’t want ways, and they come across a gang of violent An exciting story to live, in the lovingly told story Das Delfin­mädchen Naturally magic and/or mysterious youths, sent to the island some time ago for reha- about a mission to (Coppenrath, 9+). Müller explores the theme of Human-animal shapeshifters are on trend once bilitation. This is a gripping story with elements of rescue a tree, great for reading aloud or animal conservation through a tale about a very again. Examples include Katja Brandis’s Seawalkers Lord of the Flies. independently. special friendship. (the follow-up to the successful Woodwalkers,

36 37 Brilliant non-fiction books Reading without barriers? German-language children’s book publishers are Research into literacy rates has revealed that some more accessible. Lotti & Dotti, a tale about ponies currently mining a rich seam of knowledge, primary school children lack the comprehension (Coppenrath, 6+), reads almost like a film, since with non-fiction books on a huge range of skills to understand what they are reading. There photos are such a familiar medium. Illustrations subjects from science to philosophy, de- are many different reasons for this: insufficient require the reader to work harder. mocracy to anthropology, life cycles to language skills, a lack of parental support, overly Many illustrated non-fiction books are also aimed sine curves and individual biographies high expectations of reading ability. For years now, at new audiences. They introduce interesting to otherness. publishers have been developing more accessible figures and explore ethical problems, explain en­ In the more traditional non-fiction books for less confident readers. These books of- vironmental issues and promote fairness and co­­­ series, MINT subjects are very well ten appear in series and feature themes designed oper­ation, as in Wie siehst du denn aus? (Beltz & represented: there’s Physik, Einstein to appeal to boys in particular, such as Lesenlernen Gelberg, 9+). and Universum, for example (all Tessloff, in 3 Schritten – Die schönsten Rennfahrerges­ ­chich­ Perhaps this is the new future of children’s books: 8+), and the sophisticated Umweltschutz ten or Leselöwen – Alarm auf der Weltraumstation breaking the boundaries between genres. Creating (Ravens­­burger, 8+), which explains compli- (all Loewe, 6+). Publishers are bringing out more new ways of seeing the world. And catering to cated processes in a clear and comprehensive and more books which have a simple reading struc- a wide spectrum of reading ability. From basic way. This method of conveying knowledge is ture but subject matter designed to interest older comprehension­ skills to literary ivory towers. timeless; and the layout, too, has a long ‘shelf life’. readers. The series Loewe Wow is a response to Exciting times lie ahead – both in graphic and in Non-fiction topics for children and young people the new reading habits of ‘digital natives’, and literary terms. ◊ Tiara und Reyhane – two rebels of today. are becoming increasingly specialised, as can be features titles such as Cornibus & Co. and Vincent From: Kathrin Köller, Anusch Thielbeer (ill.) Life cycles are one of Stark, Thienemann nature’s most brilliant seen in Kriminalistik (Tessloff, 8+), orSchau in dei- flattert ins Abenteuer (Loewe, 9+) – a kind of in-­ inventions – they mean that nen Körper (Beltz & Gelberg, 4+), which is almost be­tween genre combining elements of graphic nothing is lost or wasted. medical in its depth of information. These hard- novels, comic books and books for beginner read- From: Felicitas Horstschäfer, fact books can teach even adults a thing or two. ers. These books are often made up of ‘titbits’ of Johannes Vogt Es geht rund Dela Kienle, Jochen Kathrin Köller, © 2020 Beltz & Gelberg When it comes to philosophical themes, publish- text, and bring together elements from the inter- Björn Lengwenus Windecker (ill.) Anusch Thielbeer in der Verlagsgruppe ers’ lists make room for books on everything from net and smartphones to create a language of words Glück Umweltschutz (ill.) Beltz · Weinheim Basel happiness and the search for meaning to grief and and pictures. (Carlsen) (Ravensburger) Stark What is happiness? What does a (Thienemann) coping with tragedy. What makes these books How do we find schnitzel have to do The girls in this special is often the felicitous intertwining of illus- Reading about reading it, and how can we with climate book are neither tration and text – Glück (Carlsen, 11+) is a prime Short, meaningful passages of text, clear vocab­ hold onto it? change? This book famous nor high-­ A self-help book explores the factors flying, but they all example of the value of illustrated books (and not ulary, strict grammar – working all of these impor­­ ­ with plenty of pages that put a strain have the courage just for children). tant elements into an appealing story calls for a to fill in yourself. on our environment. of their convictions. Another striking trend is the number of excellent great deal of experience and skill on the part of

biographical texts – be they picture books, non-­ authors. Over time, publishing houses have Susan Niessen, fiction books or anthologies – about real-life role increasingly taken it upon themselves to help Leonie Ebbert (ill.) Sonja Eismann, models. These are often books which cannot be improve children’s reading skills – a task that used Lotti und Dotti Amelie Persson (ill.) (Coppenrath) Wie siehst du clearly defined as belonging to one specific genre. to be left to families and schools. But it is in pub- Felicitas Holidays at Grand- denn aus? And they are certainly not aimed at one specific lishers’ own interests to promote the art of read- Horstschäfer, ma’s house are Lotti’s (Beltz & Gelberg) age group, as demonstrated by Stark. Rebellinnen ing. The creative approaches currently being Johannes Vogt favourites. But this Is my belly button Es geht rund time, events take an weird? Why don’t von heute (Thienemann, 12+). adopted by publishers are exemplified in Es geht (Beltz & Gelberg) extraordinary turn I have straight hair? As time goes on we are seeing the boundaries be- rund (Beltz & Gelberg, 6+), which can be read A 360° reading when a pony turns up This book encour- tween target readerships blur, and this is opening by several children at the same time: the book experience: rotate, one morning in ages children to talk discover and learn! Grandma’s hallway! about body image. up new genres: non-fiction for all ages, which becomes a sort of moving disc. Christine Paxmann takes the reader on a visual and textual adven- Publishers are pursuing innovative approaches in is the author of ture – a true journey of discovery. New standards other areas too. Books about how to read, written numerous books for are being set aesthetically, with bold layouts and in a playful and exciting way, are a form of meta-­ Sonja Kaiblinger, Bernd Flessner Jochen Till, Fréderic Bertrand adults and children shapes. All-round information and all-round read- reading that can appeal even to very young chil- Kriminalistik Raimund Frey (ill.) (ill.) and the publisher of ing – publishers are responding with unusual con- dren. Speaking and reading techniques and tips on (Tessloff) Cornibus & Co – Vincent flattert ins Eselsohr, one of cepts to young readers who expect more from a emphasis and performance are designed to make All about the latest Ein Hausdämon Abenteuer methods for catch- packt aus! (Loewe) the most important book than two cardboard covers with a story in reading fun, and are vividly presented in Lies mal ing criminals, and (Loewe) A spookily funny tale, German-language­ between. Information, pictures and narrative all vor (Carlsen, 9+). the work of detec- With the help of with colour illus­ journals for children’s feature in books tailored to the early years curric- Storybooks featuring photographs are another tives, public prose- house-demon Corni- trations throughout, cutors, crime scene bus, a ‘hell-ologist’ about Vincent the and young adult ulum, such as Nevio, die furchtlose Forschermaus way of appealing to a wider range of readers: they investigators and tells the story of how bat and his search for literature. (Arena, 4+). break down barriers to reading, making stories forensic scientists. demons came to be. a friend.

38 39 BOOKS PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED TO SAY ABOUT GERMANY Authors, Books, Awards Germany Times 17 Two female prizewinners with two outstanding novels A column by Nino Haratischwili

YEAR 1 YEAR 3 On arrival I think: in Germany there’s no dust, my Self-determination is sometimes painful, and irony shoes never need polishing, and when I wash my still isn’t cool, so I’m not cool. I start writing again hair I’m not washing out centuries of history with and everyone says: all girls write – and I could their occupations and reoccupations, or exhaust scream but I don’t, and I say: I’m not writing about

fumes from cars imported from the West when my troubled love life. I think: I have to leave, I’ll © G2 Baraniak © private Diehl © Nane they fail their MOTs. Here, no one’s interested in never fit into this world, why did I make so much MOTs or in anyone’s hair or lungs – the water isn’t effort to learn ‘Röslein, Röslein, Röslein rot’ at he blogger Berit Glanz has enjoyed a dedi­ nke Stelling, born in Ulm in 1971, learned black, it’s always clear and pure. In Germany there school? Nino Haratischwili, Holger Heimann cated following for many years. She has about the uncertainty and unpredict­­abil­ are no pomegranates, I think to myself, and cori­ I go away for many months. The place where I am born in Georgia in is a literary critic and T 4000 followers on Twitter. Glanz was born A ity of a writer’s life the hard way. After ander only comes in little packets fit for sparrows, is cold and raw, and I write like I’m possessed. 1983, writing in works for various in 1982 and works as an academic specialising in three of her novels attracted insufficient interest, but so what, when I’m getting so many opportuni­ There’s vodka and I smell muddy. I want to prove German, is an inter­ newspapers and broad­ Scandinavian studies at the university in Greifs­ her publishers turned their backs on her. No one ties and so much freedom in return; yes, finally I something to myself and to Germany: namely that nationally bestselling casters. He lives in wald, a small coastal town. ‘Without social media wanted to publish her next books. Looking back at can unfurl and try on all the versions of myself like we don’t always know best. and award-winning Berlin. I’d feel cut off from things out here in the prov­ this period of her life, the writer (now living in Ber­ colourful dresses. I’m young and above all I have novelist, playwright inces,’ she says. It’s no surprise then that her lin) sees it as a positive experience: ‘I knew then my university place, won with my many imaginary YEAR 4 and director. highly acclaimed debut novel Pixeltänzer (Pixel that I really wanted to write and that I could do it swords (yes, Georgians have a bit of a thing for I pull it off. I put my stories on stage. People cried Dancers), winner of the Hebbel Prize, is a walk independently of the market and how it works,’ she swords; the Middle Ages throb in our Adam’s and I was happy and knew that this language had through the world of the Internet. Beta, a young says. In any case, it’s a story with a happy ending. apples now and then …). And lots of the German adopted me without my having asked it to. I’ve woman working at a hip design company, receives Anke Stelling found a new publishing home for her words in my luggage, like Goethe’s ‘Röslein, Rös­ learned: in German there’s only an ‘i’ between messages over the Internet which set her off on a books with a small independent publisher. Her lein, Röslein rot’ – rosebud, rosebud, rosebud red ‘Leben’ and ‘Liebe’, life and love. trail that she follows doggedly until it leads her to most recent novel Schäfchen im Trockenen (Feath­ – I learned long ago in primary school … the amazing story of a radical female artist, living ering the Nest) won the Leipzig Book Prize, one of YEAR 5 one hundred years ago, who protested against all the most prestigious prizes in Germany, and went YEAR 2 The Foreign Nationals Registration Office would kinds of conventions. Along the way, Beta’s own on to become a bestseller. In the novel, which con­ As part of my German studies I have to learn be just a ridiculous institution full of disgusting desire to stand up against superficiality and con­ tains some autobiographical elements, a writer effort/application/discipline/self-determination filter coffee – which luckily isn’t offered to visitors formity grows stronger by the minute. with four children is given notice to move out of and irony, and I try so very hard that I forget you – and cacti and ugly picture frames, if it wasn’t de­ her flat. Suddenly she sees quite a different side to can’t learn anything without experience – how ciding my future right now. My mother says I have that wonderful life in Berlin. wonderful that the German word for experience, to be better than the Germans to get on here. ‘Erleben’, comes from the word ‘Leben’, meaning life! I learn: I’ll never be punctual. I learn: I’ll never YEAR 6 be any good at fencing. I learn: I hate irony as an I love this language and don’t want to be driven Berit Glanz end in itself in art. I assuage my coriander with­ from it, but I’m unsure if I can or want to stay Pixeltänzer Anke Stelling (Schöffling) Schäfchen im drawal symptoms with Asiatic soups. here. I leave, I come back, I leave, I come back, ‘Pixeltänzer links Trockenen interweaving effort/application/discipline/self-de­ contemporary art (Verbrecher) termination – important virtues for which I’m to the artists of ‘Stelling’s novel is a In German there’s the Weimar period. deeply sarcastic eternally grateful to my alma mater. They’re con­ (…) Glanz breaks and profoundly sad only an ‘i’ between stantly asking me to ‘legitimise’ my staying through the ceiling reckoning with the here; I can’t, because what I do has no material into the digital ideals of the West ‘Leben’ and ‘Liebe’, world.’ German post-war worth, but the authorities don’t recognise any Berliner Zeitung period.’ Zeit online life and love. other currency.

40 41 Trains and hotels. I get to know YEAR 14 Germany better than I cook European dishes better than Georgian ones. I become a mother. But I want to be able to cook the Germans do. Georgian food for my child. Everything’s strange: when I speak German to my child it feels like Das achte Leben YEAR 7 I’m communicating with her via Google Translate. (Für Brilka) has been I’m still not getting German proverbs quite right. I speak only Georgian. awarded the presti­ I say to a friend: I don’t want to put my nose above gious BDI Literature the parapet. I still haven’t had any therapy and I YEAR 15 Prize of the Asso­ still don’t do yoga. Some documentary about Richard Burton and Liz ciation of Arts and Taylor is on TV. It’s being promoted with a quote Culture of the YEAR 8 from one of his letters to her: ‘If you leave me, German Economy I have a book out. It’s pale pink (which I think is I shall have to kill myself’. Among the online com- 2015, the Anna ironic) and looks very girly. It’s actually about ments: ‘A clear case of abuse …’ ‘… urgently needs Seghers Prize 2015, suicidal women and literature. They ‘tolerate’ me. therapy …’ I think to myself: I’m going back. the Lessing Prize I have to prove that I’m earning enough. I’m called Stipend 2017, the ‘a Georgian writer who writes in German’. YEAR 16 Bertolt Brecht Prize Another new book. I have to take lots more train 2018 and the YEAR 9 trips. I’m pregnant. I ask a guard to put my suitcase Schiller Prize 2019. I have another new book – it’s white. I have a piece in the overhead luggage rack; he replies that he of home. I’m called ‘a German-Georgian writer’. can’t ‘due to health and safety reasons’. In the fol- Her novel Die Katze lowing months, ahead of the birth of my second und der General was YEAR 10 child, I’m absolutely determined to go back to shortlisted for the I read Kleist and watch the documentary Shoah. Georgia and raise the children there. I don’t under­ German Book Prize I think: you can’t have both. But you can. stand how a health and safety regulation can take 2018. precedence over any kind of human empathy or YEAR 11 human reason. In the end I decide that I don’t want Travelling and writing; no longer just tolerated; I’m to understand. And that my words have found a a little more welcome. home in this language.

YEAR 12 YEAR 17 I have a new, very fat book. It’s about Georgia. I’ve I become a mother for the second time, and my done nothing else for four years but write this mother and aunt cook Georgian dishes for days. book. Suddenly I’m ‘a German author with Geor- How Georgian I get the longer I live here, I think. gian roots’. I feel confused. And I think: isn’t it strange how often, when I’m there, I look forward to coming back. ◊ YEAR 13 Trains and hotels. I get to know Germany better than the Germans do. I’ve been to Tharandt and Pullach. ‘How come you speak such good German?’ This question follows me around.

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