Germany's Federal Chancellor and Slovenia's President to open 75th Frankfurter Buchmesse

Frankfurt, 05 September 2023 – German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar will open the 75th Frankfurter Buchmesse (18–22 October 2023) on Tuesday, 17 October 2023. Slovenia is the Guest of Honour at this year’s book fair. Under the motto “Honeycomb of Words”, 75 Slovenian authors, poets and translators are expected to appear in Frankfurt. Following the ceremony at Messe Frankfurt’s Congress Center, the Federal Chancellor and Slovenian president will open the Guest of Honour Pavilion. Frankfurter Buchmesse is taking place this year for the 75th time. In its anniversary year, the book fair will be celebrating good stories, honouring democratic discourse and promoting peaceful exchange in unpeaceful times.  

“From its beginnings in St Paul’s Church until today, Frankfurter Buchmesse has stood for democracy and diversity,” says Juergen Boos, Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse. “For the 75th time, the book fair will serve as a platform for democratic exchange. It is also a cultural marketplace. Publishers and authors, literature and culture fans from over 100 countries can come together here in a safe and peaceful environment. The presence of Germany’s Federal Chancellor and Slovenia’s President at the opening ceremony underscores the fair’s importance for democracy, freedom and understanding on an international level.”   

Other speakers at the opening ceremony of the 75th Frankfurter Buchmesse will include Juergen Boos, Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, Chairwoman of the German Publishers & Booksellers Association, and Mike Josef, Mayor of the city of Frankfurt am Main. The literary speakers, who are traditionally chosen by the Guest of Honour Committee, will be author and philosopher Slavoj Žižek and author Miljana Cunta.

The Frankfurter Buchmesse Timeline: https://www.buchmesse.de/en/history(opens in a new window)
More information on Slovenia’s role as Guest of Honour: https://sloveniafrankfurt2023.com/en(opens in a new window)

Please note: Attendance at the opening ceremony on Tuesday, 17 October 2023, is by invitation only. A limited number of places are available for journalists. All media representatives require online accreditation for the book fair (https://www.buchmesse.de/en/press/accreditation(opens in a new window)). If you would also like to report on the opening ceremony, please register separately for this event using the following addresses: Print media and radio journalists: press@buchmesse.de.(opens in a new window) Photographers, TV and film teams: redcarpetpress@buchmesse.de.(opens in a new window)

Please note that we cannot guarantee you will be able to attend the opening ceremony. The deadline for registration is noon on 21 September 2023. Subsequent accreditation will only be possible in exceptional cases.

The following information must be provided:
• Last name, first name
• Media Company
• Function (Camera operator, photographer, radio or print journalist, etc.)

Contact for the media:
Press and Corporate Communication, Frankfurter Buchmesse, press@buchmesse.de(opens in a new window)
Dr Torsten Casimir, Vice President | Communications & Content, Phone: +49 172 2863897, casmir@buchmesse.de(opens in a new window)

 > Find all press releases and photos on our website. https://www.buchmesse.de/en/press(opens in a new window)

About Frankfurter Buchmesse

Frankfurter Buchmesse is the international publishing industry’s biggest trade fair and the most important international marketplace for content – from novels and children’s books to academic databases and stories for films, games and virtual reality experiences. Publishing professionals from around the world meet here with partners from the technology sector and from related creative and cultural industries, sparking new partnerships and business models. Since 1976, the book fair has featured an annual Guest of Honour country, which showcases its book market, literature and culture to attendees in a variety of ways. Frankfurter Buchmesse organises the participation of German publishers at international book fairs and hosts trade events throughout the year in major international markets. Frankfurter Buchmesse is a subsidiary of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers & Booksellers Association). https://www.buchmesse.de/en(opens in a new window)