Leipzig liest (Leipzig reads) – Europe's largest reading festival
Leipzig has a centuries-old tradition of literature. Leipzig liest celebrates this relationship every year with an inspiring reading festival that brings literature to numerous reading venues at the fair and throughout the city. Around 3,200 participants organize more than 3,000 events at 350 different locations. Leipzig liest offers a large stage for publishers and authors to present their latest works. Reading fans can experience literature and literary figures live in readings, talk rounds and participatory events.
Leipzig liest 2024
The programme for Leipzig Book Fair 2024 is now online (available in German).
Our Success Story
The first ever independent book fair in Leipzig after German reunification took place in April 1991 and drew just 25,000 visitors. It was clearly time for a new concept. New ideas were needed to create an unforgettable event to celebrate literature and the joys of reading from the ashes of the old book fair.
The event was initiated and brought to life by Club Bertelsmann. Both the city of Leipzig and Leipzig Messe helped to launch the project for the first time with the Book Fair in 1992: readings and discussions involving 80 authors took place across almost 160 venues throughout Leipzig. The event was a resounding success: The people of Leipzig and their guests turned out in force, resulting in 46 per cent more visitors.
Today, Leipzig liest is an integral part of Leipzig Book Fair. The reading festival is different from other standard reading festivals thanks to its role as a marketing instrument that supports publishing houses exhibiting at the trade fair. All exhibitors are invited to take part in the programme. This makes Leipzig liest as colourful and diverse as the world of books itself.
Europe's largest reading festival offers 3,000 events involving 3,200 participants at 350 venues across and around Leipzig as well as at the exhibition grounds, and can now look back on an unparalleled success story. A success story that was only possible with the support of strong partners including the city of Leipzig, Bertelsmann (Das Blaue Sofa), Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk, and in particular the publishing houses involved in the trade fair.