Danube - The Leipzig Book Fair is introducing a curated program line with changing focus themes – kicking off in 2026 with a focus on the literature of the Danube region.

Starting in 2026, the Leipzig Book Fair will establish changing curated focus themes as a permanent program line – open to all topics, international and social. The program will kick off next year with the multifaceted literature of the Danube region.

Danube – Under Pressure and Between Worlds

Under the motto "Danube – Under Pressure and Between Worlds," book presentations, discussions, and debates will take place on a dedicated stage in Hall 4 every day of the fair. The program, curated by Stephan Ozsváth, is being developed in collaboration with partners such as the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Agency for Civic Education, the Goethe-Institut, TRADUKI, the City of Leipzig, and cultural institutions in the participating countries – and shows where stories in the region connect or divide: literary, historical, social, and political.

The Danube, nearly 3,000 kilometres long, is Europe in flux. It originates in the Black Forest and flows through ten European countries – Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine – before emptying into the Black Sea in the Danube Delta.

International perspectives are part of the Leipzig Book Fair's DNA. With its focus on the Danube, the program demonstrates how a river connects cultures and living spaces, creates borders – and then transcends them again. And with the participating partners, we are exploring the extent to which the literatures along the river reinforce, influence, and consciously differentiate themselves," says Astrid Böhmisch, Director of the Leipzig Book Fair, adding: "At the same time, we are launching a program line for the Leipzig Book Fair with changing, curated focus themes, which we will regularly feature in the future – sometimes international, sometimes focusing on social issues. This is only possible with strong content-related partners, so this is also an invitation to present topics together with us."

Program & Curator program

The program of the Leipzig Book Fair 2026 will take place on a specially created stage in Hall 4. Book presentations, discussions, panel discussions, and other formats will bring the Danube region to life. The curator is former ARD Southeast Europe correspondent Stephan Ozsváth. The journalist, author, and podcast host has known the Danube region closely for many years and curates The program focuses on literary, social, and political perspectives.

"The Danube is a truly European river. It connects and divides East and West in equal measure. Migration, multilingualism, diverse identities, and the struggle for influence between political powers continue to shape the literature of the Danube region to this day. The program reflects these areas of tension and examines them from different perspectives," explains Stephan Ozsváth.

Partners & Outlook

"Danube – Under Power and Between Worlds" is supported by the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Agency for Civic Education, the Goethe-Institut, TRADUKI, the City of Leipzig, and cultural institutions in the Danube region. Program updates will follow successively in the coming months.

The next Leipzig Book Fair will take place from March 19 to 22, 2026.

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