Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Germany, Austria and Switzerland will jointly be the Guests of Honour at the 31st Budapest International Book Festival, held at Hungexpo from 1 to 4 October 2026. The three countries will bring to Budapest a number of leading, internationally renowned voices in contemporary German-language literature, offering Hungarian audiences four days of close encounters with some of the most exciting authors writing in German today. Festival guests will include Nelio Biedermann, Katja Brandis, Dimitré Dinev, Gábor Fónyad, Martina Hefter, Stefanie Höfler, Martin Korte, Christian Kracht, Kristina Moninger, Melinda Nadj Abonji, Michael Roher, Eugen Ruge, Tonio Schachinger, Johanna Sebauer, Elisabeth Steinkellner, Natalka Sznyadanko, Sarah Welk and Daniel Wisser. The Frankfurt Book Fair will also take part in the four-day programme.

The motto of the Guest of Honour programme is “Hallo, Literatourist!” This playful portmanteau invites festival visitors to discover the varied landscapes of German-language culture as literary travellers. Germany, Austria and Switzerland bring to Budapest distinct historical and cultural experiences, literary traditions and contemporary perspectives, linked by a shared language and by the dialogue that literature creates.

The “Hallo, Literatourist!” motto is also reflected in the concept of the Guest of Honour stand. Throughout the four days of the festival, the 80-square-metre space will serve as a shared showcase for the literature of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, as well as a meeting place for authors, readers, translators and publishers.

Contemporary German-language literature offers a rich and diverse panorama. Alongside literary fiction, the programme will feature children’s and young adult literature, popular science and a range of artistic forms. The works and events presented will explore themes such as family and historical memory, migration, multilingualism, identity and minority experience, the search for a sense of home, social inequalities, coming of age, digital culture and the challenges of the present day. Central European historical experiences and connections to Hungary will also form an important part of this multifaceted literary landscape.

One of the distinctive features of the Guest of Honour programme is the wide range of interactive and participatory events offered alongside traditional author events, readings and book presentations. Creative workshops, bibliotherapy sessions, calligraphy workshops and family programmes will create opportunities for audiences to engage more actively with literature and with one another, across generations, nationalities, subcultures and different social groups.

Particular attention will be given to German as a minority literary language, as well as to the Central European and Hungarian connections of German-language culture. Through works by authors from Liechtenstein, the German-speaking community in Belgium and the German minority in Hungary, the programme will also give space to multilingualism, minority identity and diverse linguistic and cultural experiences. Authors with Hungarian roots or connections to the history of the region will bring audiences closer to questions of shared memory, migration, border regions and complex identities. In this way, the programme will present not only the literature of three countries, but also the broader cultural space in which the German language exists in continuous dialogue with other languages and traditions.

The Guest of Honour programme will also provide an important platform for professional exchange within the book industry. With the participation of the Frankfurt Book Fair, professional events will explore the particular characteristics of the Hungarian and German children’s book markets, current issues facing the book industry, and the future of literary translation in the age of artificial intelligence. Alongside encounters with readers, the programme aims to encourage new collaborations among publishers, translators and institutions, while further strengthening ties between Hungarian and German-language book culture.

The joint Guest of Honour programme of the three countries is organised in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Budapest, the German Federal Foreign Office, the Austrian Cultural Forum and the Embassy of Switzerland.

With the greeting “Hallo, Literatourist!”, Germany, Austria and Switzerland invite festival audiences to embark on a literary journey: to discover the diverse world of contemporary German-language literature, meet authors and encounter stories, take part in discussions and collaborative creative activities, and become part of the vibrant communal space that will come to life over four days at the Guest of Honour stand and throughout the festival programme.