Parallel to the Frankfurt Book Fair, the 17th edition of the municipal reading festival OPEN BOOKS once again attracted thousands of visitors to the city centre. From 14 to 18 October, around 15,000 people took part in a total of 125 events. The programme, organised by the Cultural Office, thus confirmed its reputation as a popular showcase for autumn novelties – and, as always, admission was free.
Literary centre at Römerberg
As usual, the readings were spread across venues around the Römer, expanded to include the Press and Information Office, the Struwwelpeter Museum, the Heussenstamm Gallery and the Freie Deutsche Hochstift. On Friday, for the first time, an entire day was dedicated to new picture books. In addition, the traditional "Literatur im Römer" reading series celebrated its 50th anniversary – an occasion that lent the festival historical depth.
OPEN BOOKS opened on 14 October with a gala at the German National Library, in cooperation with the "Blue Sofa". The newly crowned book prize winner Dorothee Elmiger also appeared there. In the days that followed, authors such as Daniela Dröscher, Leif Randt, Caroline Wahl and Hanns-Josef Ortheil made appearances. In addition to fiction, the event featured a strong non-fiction programme, including Navid Kermani, Harald Jähner and Katja Gloger. International guests – including Algerian writer Kamel Daoud and Bulgarian Georgi Gospodinov – also made their mark.
Voices from culture and organisation
"For fifty years, the city of Frankfurt has been organising a supporting programme for the Book Fair, thereby building a bridge to the city centre," explained Ina Hartwig, Head of the Department of Culture and Science. The high demand confirmed the concept of concentrating readings in close proximity around the Römerberg: "From the very beginning, the audience was able to draw on a wealth of material." Festival director Sonja Vandenrath summed up: "125 readings in four days – that means full halls, queues and rapt attention. With 15,000 visitors, OPEN BOOKS was once again a great celebration of reading culture." The anniversary events at the Römer in particular gave the festival a special touch.
Response and conclusion
The reading festival was accompanied by partner events, such as the Frankfurter Rundschau and Bundestag Vice-President Katrin Göring-Eckardt, with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, as well as the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers and Booksellers Association), which presented this year's Peace Prize winner Karl Schlögel.
To round off the event, the German National Library offered a children's programme, supplemented by its own picture book format for the first time in the Struwwelpeter Museum. On Saturday evening, OPEN BOOKS ended at the Volksbühne am Großen Hirschgraben with a cheerful Frankfurt evening organised by Oliver Maria Schmitt, Henni Nachtsheim and Mirco Becker.
Once again, OPEN BOOKS 2025 proved to be living proof of Frankfurt's claim to be not only a trade fair city, but also a city of literature.
