Israel at Leipzig Book Fair

 

Readings, comics, discussions: in 2015 the Book Fair centres on literature and literary figures from Israel.

 

Chances are good you will get to have a conversation with an author in Leipzig. After all, the Leipzig Book Fair is the leading book fair for the general public. The numbers for 2015 speak for themselves: There are 410 reading locations spread throughout the entire city. More than 2,000 exhibitors at the fair present what is new in the world of literature. Last year such literary offerings attracted almost 240,000 visitors to this East German city. From 12 to 15 March 2015 famous German authors including Günter Grass, Herta Müller and Uwe Tellkamp will be joined by their Israeli counterparts in Germany: Amos Oz, Meir Shalev, Lizzie Doron, Hila Blum, Fania Oz-Salzberger, Ron Segal, Yishai Sarid, Ayelet Gundar-Goshen, Anat Talshir and Assaf Gamzou are just some of the Israeli writers expected to attend the fair.

Focus on literature from Israel

This year Germany and Israel celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. A great reason for literature from Israel to be the focus of the Leipzig Book Fair – as a kind of anniversary bonus. Some 70 events organized by the Israeli Embassy in Germany and the Bertelsmann Club on the exhibition grounds and in the entire city are devoted to the topic. The focal topic will be launched on the Thursday. The Israeli ambassador to Germany, Yakov Hadas-Handelsman, will be present as will Amos Oz and Meir Shalev, two authors, who are also very popular in Germany.

Among the highlights of the diverse programme is no doubt the Long Night of German-Israeli Literature on 12 March. On this evening, Amos Oz, who received the Siegfried Lenz literature prize in 2014, will speak about his new novel “Judas” in Schauspiel Leipzig. Other guests include Dan Diner, Lizzie Doron and Avi Primor. Later in the evening Norbert Kron and Amichai Shalev will read from their anthology “Wir vergessen nicht, wir gehen tanzen” (We won’t forget, we’re going dancing), in which German and Israeli authors write about their experiences in the other country.

Israel has its own stand in Hall 4. A forum for talks and panel discussions is planned – including Fredy Gareis, Fania Oz-Salzberger and Chaim Noll, amongst others.

This year the fair is celebrating a premiere with its first comic show. The exhibition entitled “Streifzüge – Wanderings” forms part the Manga Comic Convention in Hall 1. Contemporary Israeli illustrators will present their work there and provide insights into the rich comic scene of their country.

Leipzig and literature – a long-standing match

As early as 1492, the year in which Columbus discovered America, the first book traders visited the booksellers at the Leipzig Fair – a predecessor of sorts to the Book Fair as we know it today. Things took a professional turn from the 17th century onwards: Every year publishers came to Leipzig to present their books. And this book fair quickly established itself as the most important one in Germany. A small milestone: In 1632 more books were presented in Leipzig than at the competing Frankfurt Book Fair.

It was not until 1945 that the Frankfurt Fair caught up with its Eastern rival. And even though the Leipzig Fair continued to expand, it was by no means the kind of reading festival it is today. In the 1980s there were just 30 events, attended by only 2,000 people. No comparison with the festival-like atmosphere during the fair today. As of 1996 publishers, readers and authors began to convene in the newly built exhibition complex in the north of Leipzig.

Away from the mainstream – and from the exhibition grounds – on Friday the reading of independent publishers offers an excellent platform for those small firms not affiliated with any of the major groups. 

   

Leipzig Book Fair

Reading of the independent publishers

    

We recommend: 

12 March, from 7 p.m.     Long Night of German-Israeli Literature in Schauspiel Leipzig (Bosestrasse 1)

12 to 15 March                Special exhibition “Streifzüge – Wanderings” featuring comics from Israel in Hall 1

Livestream of the awarding of the Leipzig Book Fair prize on 12 March