A world of storytelling

A landlocked country presents itself as “A Country on the Coast”: this is the motto for Czechia’s appearance as guest of honour at Frankfurt Book Fair 2026. Round elements reminiscent of pebbles allude to this motif in the pavilion.

The unusual concept of a Czech coastline has its roots in literature: in his play “The Winter’s Tale”, William Shakespeare decided to relocate Bohemia to the seaside. Most of the historic region of Bohemia belongs to the Czech Republic these days.

Czechia has adopted this literary inspiration for its appearance at Frankfurt Book Fair 2026: The idea is for “languages, stories and ideas to come ashore” on the imaginary coast. Buoys and a lighthouse create the backdrop against which visitors to the 78th Frankfurt Book Fair will have the opportunity to discover Czech literature.

What is on the programme at Frankfurt Book Fair 2026?

From 7 to 11 October 2026, Frankfurt will serve as a meeting place for the international book world. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from more than one hundred countries will once again flock to the world’s largest book fair. In 2026, the programme will feature appearances by international authors such as Gisèle Pelicot and Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead, alongside readings from new books and discussions of contemporary social issues. Poetry will meet prose, non-fiction will meet comics, podcasts will meet illustrations. More than 3,500 events will illustrate the diversity of story-telling.

Literature from around the world 

As this year’s guest of honour,Czechia is taking centre stage at Frankfurt Book Fair 2026. The programme extends far beyond the borders of Europe, however.

On the new Matsuri Stage, the audience will be introduced to Japanese culture in the form of cosplay, manga and illustration courses. The LatAm Stage showcases literature from Latin America and, in so doing, is celebrating an anniversary: 50 years ago, Latin America was Frankfurt Book Fair’s very first guest of honour.

The Centre of Words will explore how contemporary literature can be made accessible to people, regardless of the language it is written in. Translators from across the world will discuss how they overcome linguistic boundaries.

German Book Prize goes to Shida Bazyar

At the start of the Book Fair, the author Shida Bazyar was awarded the German Book Prize. Her novel “Die Lücken” reflects 90 years of German history through the lives of its individual characters. The jury was impressed by the novel’s literary strategies that jump between different eras. It described it as a “novel against indifference”.

Peace Prize for Philippe Sands 

To mark the end of Frankfurt Book Fair 2026 on 11 October, the Franco-British lawyer and writer Philippe Sands will be awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. The Board of Trustees describes him as one of the most important intellectual voices of our time, saying he advocates for justice, peace and the defence of international law.