Goethe - Büste, © Uwe Dettmar
Frankfurt am Main is one of the leading cities of books and literature in Germany. With the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels [German Publishers and Booksellers Association], the Schule des Deutschen Buchhandels [Academy of the German Book Trade] and the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek [German National Library], many of the key institutions of Germany’s book publishing industry have their headquarters here.
Frankfurt’s publishing scene is characterised by big general interest publishing houses such as the S. Fischer Verlage and a multitude of smaller, but no less enterprising companies. Furthermore, two national feuilletons are published here, that of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and that of the Frankfurter Rundschau.
In the native city of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe four literary institutions - the Literaturhaus Frankfurt, Romanfabrik, Goethe-Haus and the Hessische Literaturforum- offer an exciting programme of talks and readings throughout the year. The highlights of Frankfurt’s literary life are the alternating literature festivals LiteraTurm and the Frankfurter Lyriktage [Frankfurt Poetry Days]. The conceptual festivals are based on a theme, which changes every year.
In addition to the established institutions, Frankfurt has an independent literary scene always on the lookout for new locations and appealing to a younger audience - the perfect environment for trends and new discoveries. During the Book Fair, Frankfurt’s longest-standing major literary event, Literatur im Römer, takes place. At Frankfurter Kunstverein, a new centre for book events called Open Books is emerging with areas for readings, clubbing and food&drink. During the Book Fair, events take place from 12:00 to 24:00 hrs.
In 2009, the City of Frankfurt established the Frankfurter Autorenstipendium [Frankfurt Writers’ Bursary]. Every three years it awards the prestigious Goethe-Preis. Annually, at the opening of the Book Fair, the German Publishers and Booksellers Association presents the German Book Prize.
Frankfurt as a City of Books and Literature is defined by the interplay between literature and business. Due to the high proportion of writers, publishers, agents and critics living and working here, the City of the Book Fair is something of a microcosm of the entire literary domain. It serves as a gauge for coming trends and developments in the book and media sector. Uniting the different aspects of literary life, Frankfurt inspires writers, book producers and the public, which makes the city more truly an ideas lab than other major cities in Germany.