From 3 to 6 April 2025, the first book fair of Russian-language uncensored literature was held in Berlin. Here are its results:
The fair was attended by 25 book publishers (independently or as part of a combined stand) and 6 magazine publishers, and another 17 projects related to literature and the dissemination of humanitarian knowledge outside of Russia were announced.
The fair featured about 300 titles of books for adults.
The fair's bestsellers included, for example, "Chiaroscuro" by Daniel Kelman (Fresh Verlag), “A Deal with the Devil. German-Russian Relations between the First and Second World Wars” by Sebastian Hafner (Stein Publishing), “Encyclopedia of Dissidence. Eastern Europe, 1956-1989” (NLO, presented by the Memorial Society), “The Prague Manifesto of the KONR” ed. and compiled by I. Zolotarev (“Russian Tradition”), “Selected Poetry of Mandelstam” (1983) and Antiques of the Berlin Period of the XNUMXth Century (YMKA Press), “The Sect in My Grandmother’s House” by Anna Sandermoen and “The Handbook of an Emigrant” by Alla Barkan (Sandermoen Publishing), “Pkhents” by Abram Tertz (Tamizdat Project), “Mine” by Mikhail Shishkin (BaBook), “Chance. America - Russia: a window of opportunity" by Sergey Aleksashenko (Echo of the Book), "Sex Itself. How to Discuss, Receive and Deliver Pleasure" by Sasha Kazantseva (Ricochet)
The total number of visitors is about 2500 (including children).
A total of 78 events took place during the three days of the fair.
Of these, 18 were part of the children's program on Saturday and Sunday, 19 autograph sessions, 1 large-scale poetry evening and 1 play reading by the author, 1 unique book pitching in the presence of European publishers and literary agents (with simultaneous translation) and 5 large and representative discussions on the most important topics:
– about Russian culture in the face of war;
– about Russian-language queer literature in the context of prohibitions;
– about the tasks and possibilities of magazine publishing houses;
- about literary criticism in emigration;
– about the “growth points” of Russian-language book publishing outside of Russia.
And, of course, presentations of new books and publishers, performances by famous and emerging authors, many meetings, contacts and new projects that emerged on the sidelines of the fair!
The fair team will work to make the Berlin Book Fair of Russian-language literature a major annual event.
Photo @Rina Ginzburg