Frankfurt Book Fair: Authors: inside cancel visit in protest

The Frankfurt Book Fair
That is why so many authors are now canceling their visit

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In the past few days, more and more authors have canceled their visit to the Frankfurt Book Fair. The reason: The participation and presence of the Jungeuropa Verlag – which is assigned to the New Right.

The author Jasmina Kuhnke canceled her appearance at the Frankfurt Book Fair at short notice due to the presence of Jungeuropa Verlag. She wrote on Twitter: “It is foreseeable that other right-wing extremists will also visit the fair beyond the publisher, which makes the danger for me personally obvious.”

Jasmina Kuhnke cancels her appearance at the Frankfurt Book Fair

Jasmina Kuhnke is a TV writer, columnist and campaigns against racism. She wanted to present her debut novel “Black Heart” at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Her appearance and the discussion round “The fighters”, which were to take place on Friday evening at the ARD book night, had not been announced because her participation was “only possible under special protective measures”, she wrote on Twitter.

Because already in the spring Kuhnke had to suffer from the threat of rights. She and her family even had to move in the wake of this threat. The Rohwolt publishing house, which publishes Kuhnke’s book, writes about the rejection: “A prominent place at this fair is a publishing house whose director has publicly called for Jasmina Kunhke’s ‘deportation’, among other things.” What is meant by this is Philip Stein, publisher of Junge Europa.

Authors show solidarity against racism and right-wing extremism

With her rejection, the author sparked a discourse. Some colleagues solidify themselves with her, others see the boycott as the wrong signal and the Frankfurt Book Fair is trying diplomacy. In addition to Jasmina Kuhnke, Ciani-Sophia Hoeder, Aminta Touré, Annabelle Mandeng, Nikeata Thompson, Raul Krauthausen and Ricardo Simonetti have also canceled.

Not only the participation of the right publisher is a problem per se, but the positioning of the stand – in Hall 3.1 in the direct vicinity of the Blue Sofa, on which Jasmina Kuhnke should also appear. So the pole position.

Is the boycott of the Frankfurt Book Fair the right way to go?

The Frankfurter Buchmesse and the Börsenverein made it clear: “In our constitutional state, the ban on publishing houses or products is the responsibility of the courts and not of individual actors like the Frankfurt Book Fair.” To put it into perspective: The publishers are not invited to the fair, but buy in. If the trade fair excludes a publisher, the publisher could sue and it would have to be proven that the publisher sells books that can be prosecuted – but the question of the choice of stand remains.

Authors such as Jagoda Marinic and Meron Mendel from the Anne Frank educational institution show their solidarity on Twitter with the refusals of their colleagues, but make it clear that the boycott is not sending the right message for them. Because those who are not there cannot create diversity and leave the stage to those who should least get it, writes the literary editor of the “taz”.

Dealing with the topic remains a matter of dispute. One thing is certain, however, the publisher in question will rather be pleased with the current attention. Because: bad press is also press and therefore attention.

Sources used: taz.de, tagesspiegel.de, deutschlandfunk.de, twitter.de

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