LEIPZIG BOOK FAIR
(March 12 to 15, 2015)
Leipzig, March 11, 2015
Leipzig book fair: Curtains up for books and makers of books
In a few hours the Leipzig book fair 2015 will open its gates for the spring meeting
place of the book and media sector. From March 12 to 15, 2,263 exhibitors from 42
countries (2014: 2,194 from 42 countries) will present their current works to the
literature inspired public at the fair facilities and in the city of Leipzig. Over four days
and nights 3,000 participants at 3,200 events will step on the 410 stages of Europe's
largest Reading Festival "Leipzig liest (Leipzig Reads)" and ensure exciting
encounters with the written and spoken word.
"Every year more than 80,000 new publications come onto the book market. But a good story
or a special writing style is not sufficient", comments Martin Buhl-Wagner, spokesperson of
the management of the Leipziger Messe. "In the highly competitive book market one has to
attract the attention of the readers to the work and make them enthusiastic about it. The
Leipzig book fair is the perfect marketing platform for this." With 2,263 exhibitors it has been
possible to increase the number compared to the previous year by nearly four percent. The
gross surface area with 92,400 square metres increased by nearly ten percent. The MangaComic-Convention significantly contributed towards the growth of the event. This year it will
take place together with the Leipzig book fair for the second time. "For the Premier in 2014
already 89,000 visitors came to the colourful world of Manga, Comic and Co. This
enthusiasm has also been perceived in the sector and has ensured a significant increase in
the number of exhibitors", explains Martin Buhl-Wagner.
Let's talk about books
In Leipzig publishing companies, authors and media present current works for discussion in
front of a large audience - from fiction over children's and teenager's books, school books up
to crime thrillers, advice books or reference works. The public in Leipzig expect national and
international authors that promise authentic encounters. Counted amongst the 3,000 Leipzig
liest participants are literature stars like Jussi Adler-Olsen, Mircea Cărtărescu, Eoin Colfer,
Péter Esterházy, Jérôme Ferrari, Pavel Kohout, Patrick Rothfuss, Tomáš Sedláček, Martin
Suter, Jean Ziegler, Slavoj Žižek, Thomas Brussig, Arno Geiger, Günter Grass or Heinrich
Steinfest. The visitors can additionally look forward to new program series and exciting
debates.
Israeli book market under drastic change
Within the scope of the main focus topic of the fair "1965 to 2015. Germany – Israel." on the
occasion of 50 years German-Israeli diplomatic relations, 40 authors from both countries will
be speaking at 74 events. Amos Oz, Meir Shalev and Lizzie Doron will be speaking about
their current books and their background, as well as Michael Degen, André Herzberg, Josef
Joffe, Steven Uhly. "With the main focus topic of the fair it is our intention to reflect the
relationship of our countries with each other, as well as to provide deeper insights into the
current condition in the Israeli society", explains Oliver Zille, director of the Leipzig book fair.
The climax of the main focus topic of the fair is the Thursday evening with the "Long Night of
German-Israeli literature" and the "Club Tel Aviv" at the Schauspiel Leipzig. The Long Night
is a joint event from Deutschlandradio (German Radio) Culture/Deutschlandfunk, the
Embassy of the nation of Israel in Berlin and the Club Bertelsmann. The Club Tel Aviv, is
being organised by the WELT, the Embassy of the nation of Israel in Berlin and the Club
Bertelsmann. An e-book with extracts from all the 40 authors participating in the main focus
topic can be downloaded free of charge from all the usual platforms.
"That which unites or separates the literary figures from both countries remains to be
summed up by the public at the end of the book fair. Already now it is certain that the two
book markets tick very differently", comments Adi Farjon, spokesperson of the Embassy of
the nation of Israel. In Israel 90 percent of the book trade is divided over two store chains. In
a market without book price control this intense competition situation led to a discount battle
between the two marketing chains, who thereby dictated the prices towards the publishers. A
difficult situation for the 1,664 Israeli publishing companies. To support the publishing
companies, the Israeli government introduced book price control for the first time in the
summer of 2014. Since then the price determined by the publishing company blindingly
applies for the first 18 months after the publication of a work for all forms of book trade. "The
legislators have however not taken the consumers into account, who are used to receiving
discounts", explains Adi Farjon. Because since the introduction of the book price control for
new publications last summer, the number of sold new books has decreased by 60 percent.
"The consequences are not yet able to be anticipated", explains Farjon further.
Politics in the mirror of literature
How political literature can be is shown by the program series "25 years German Unity"
Numerous works review the events of the peaceful revolution in 1989 and their
consequences. They shed light on the motivation and the objectives of the former
demonstrators and construct a bridge to today in the reunited Germany. Of a primarily
political nature is also the new program series "Im Brennpunkt (In the centre of focus)", which
is mutually organised by the Literary Colloquium Berlin, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and
the Leipzig book fair. The series extends an invitation to discuss about current political focus
topics: Ukraine and Russia, Israelis and Palestinians, as well as France two months after the
attacks in Paris. In further podium discussions non-fiction authors, philosophers and
journalists discuss about freedom of opinion and the new demonstration culture in Germany.
Format: “The independent”
Above all exciting from the book market policy perspective is the new program series "The
independent". The mutual project of the Leipzig book fair and the Kurt-Wolff-Trust offers
independent publishing companies and their authors a stage and brings them into the focus
of attention of readers and media. In a total of 43 events independent publishing companies
can introduce their exciting new publications to a larger public on all four days of the fair. For
the premier amongst others Ursula Ackrill will be a guest, who with her debut novel "Zeiden
im Januar (Zeiden in January)" counts amongst the nominees for this year's Leipzig book fair
prize.
Leipzig sings: First book fair choir resounds through the glass hall
A further premier promises to be a very special shared experience. For the first time the book
fair choir will resound through the glass hall. The book fair choir is a joint project of the
Leipzig book fair, Jugend Musik Netzwerk (Youth's music network) of the MDR (central
German radio) and the Leipzig Synagogal Choir. On Saturday, March 14 at 17.45 pm more
than 200 singers will intone selected works from Jewish music literature.
New literature discoveries
The prize of the Leipzig book fair will be awarded on the first day of the fair starting from
16.00 pm in the glass hall of the Leipzig fair facilities, in the categories fiction, non-fiction /
essays and translation. It counts amongst the most important literature prizes in Germany
and is endowed with a total of 60,000 Euros.
The journalist and literature critic Hubert Winkels holds for the third, and thereby accordingly
last time the chairmanship over the specialist jury. His fellow jurors are Lothar Müller,
feuilleton editor of the Süddeutschen Zeitung (South German newspaper); René Aguigah,
department director culture and society Deutschlandradio Kultur (German radio culture);
Daniela Strigl, literature scientist at Vienna University; Dirk Knipphals, literature editor of the
taz and Sandra Kegel, editor in the department literature and literary life of the Frankfurter
Allgemeinen Zeitungen (Frankfurt general newspapers). A new jury member will be Meike
Feßmann, literature critic and essayist, above all for the Süddeutsche Zeitung and the
Tagesspiegel, as well as for Deutschlandradio Kultur and Deutschlandfunk.
In the centre of focus: Education
Reading educates. But how can teachers and parents promote the delight in reading?
Educators, parents and children will find numerous answers to this question at the Leipzig
book fair. Under the headline "Focus education" the main focus topic unites nearly 250
specialist lectures and an exhibition area in exhibition hall 2. The Leipzig Lesekompass
(reading compass) offers orientation in the market of the new publications in children's and
teenager's literature. For the third time 30 books and media will be commended, which
combine reading pleasure with an approach that promotes reading. Within the scope of the
focus on education, in addition the spring German teachers conference will be conducted for
the second time. Early childhood education is in a centre focus of the symposium under the
same. The "school book of the year" award rewards the courage for innovations. Future
questions on education in Germany will this year be posed and answered by Saxony. In
2015, the free state of Saxony holds the presidency over the cultural minister conference.
Within the scope of the Leipzig book fair, the spring conference of the German culture and
science ministers takes place. Oliver Zille explains about this: "Over the past years, the
Leipzig book fair has become established as one of the most important education fairs in
Germany. That now the spring meeting of the culture minister conference takes place in
parallel to the Leipzig book fair also underlines the significance of the fair in this area."
Sector meeting place Leipzig book fair
Whether book dealer, literature agent, publisher or translator - in spring one meets in Leipzig.
Numerous training and consultation offers are specifically directed towards book dealers,
which address the topics digital transformation, market information and legal consultation. A
highlight in the specialist program is the 2nd book fair conference. In the centre of focus of
the conference on March 12 are discussions about current marketing trends and distribution
channels. In the podium discussion bücher.macher "Wir sind elektrisch (We are electric)! The
new E-Book publishing companies between hype and hope" the main emphasis is also on
the exchange with colleagues, partners and experts. Ideas and professional impulses on the
way to the professional publishing world are above all offered to young authors by the author
round table on March 14. The career day "Book + Media" on March 13 is dedicated to the
next generation in the sector.
Colourful Manga-Comic-Convention
Jump into the colourful world! This is the invitation to the Manga-Comic-Convention on all
four days of the fair. In exhibition hall 1 roughly 450 events and 284 exhibitors are waiting for
the friends of Manga, Comic, Cosplay and Games. Chaco Abeno, graphic artist of the series
Chrome Breaker or Bibliotheca Mystica; Takeshi Obata, graphic artist of the Death Note
series, Tatsuya Ihara; Author of the guidebook "How to Draw Manga – Manga figures in
dynamic poses and Mayu Sakai, graphic artist of the Shojo genre are equally looking forward
to their fans, as are the creative heads behind the adventures of Peanuts, Vicki and Bob
Scott. Exciting encounters are promised amongst others by the US American "Simpsons"
graphic artist and Art Director for all "Simpsons" publications Serban Cristescu, or the
Belgium resident graphic artist Miguel Díaz Vizoso, who continues the legendary
"Schlümpfe" stories.
Further highlights of the Manga-Comic-Convention are the exhibition "20 years Sailor Moon"
and the special exhibition "Streifzüge – Wanderings" with comics from Israel. The latter is
presented within the scope of the main focus topic of the Leipzig book fair "1965 to 2015.
Germany – Israel". Fair activities unimaginable without it: The passion of thousands of
Cosplay fans for presenting themselves in colourful costumes. Competitions and workshops
for Cosplayer's extend invitations to marvel and to participate, as well as the offers of the 170
participants in the joint presentation MCC creative.
About the Leipzig book fair
The Leipzig book fair is the most important spring meeting place of the book and media sector and is a
fair for readers, authors and publishing companies. It presents the new spring publications, current
topics and trends, and apart from young German language literature, also shows novelties from
Central and Eastern Europe. Through the unique combination of fair and "Leipzig liest" – the largest
European Reading Festival – the book fair has developed into a magnet for the public. The Leipzig
book fair 2015 with the Reading Festival Leipzig liest will take place from March 12 to 15 at the Leipzig
trade fair facilities, as well as over the entire area of the city. Roughly 2,000 exhibitors, more than
235,000 visitors and more than 2,700 journalists are expected. Parallel to the Leipzig book fair, the
21st Leipzig second-hand book fair will take place.
About the Manga-Comic-Convention (MCC)
The premier of the Manga-Comic-Convention in 2014 recorded more than 89,000 visitors. In 2015 the
event from March 12 to 15 presents itself with a significantly increased creative area and brings the
classic comic and computer and video games even stronger into the centre of focus. The MCC takes
place in combination with the Leipzig book fair and is open from Thursday to Sunday between 10.00
am and 18.00 pm.
Contact person for the press:
Julia Lücke,
Press spokesperson
Leipzig book fair
Phone: +49 (0) 341 / 6 78 6555
Fax: +49 (0) 341 / 6 78 16 6555
E-Mail: j.luecke@leipziger-messe.de
Contact person for the press on
"1965 to 2015. Germany – Israel":
Ruth Justen
Free journalist under the appointment of the
Leipzig book fair
Phone: +49 (0) 341 / 6 78 6552
Mobile: +49 (0) 152 / 3364 7983
E-Mail: r.justen@leipziger-messe.de