76. Frankfurt Book Fair 2024

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The 76th Frankfurt Book Fair 2024 Delivers

With over 230,000 visitors, more than 4,300 exhibitors, and 3,000 events, the Frankfurt Book Fair was a resounding success.

The 76th Frankfurt Book Fair, which concluded on Sunday, October 20, 2024, not only continued but surpassed the growth
trajectory of recent years over its six-day run. The Book Fair welcomed 115,000 trade visitors from 153 countries and
115,000 private visitors. As an international business fair for the publishing and media industry and a festival of reading,
it was a success—despite limited ticket availability for the weekend days.

Guest of Honor This Year – Italy 2024

The early sold-out Literary Agents & Scouts Centre (LitAg) and the highly in-demand Publishers Rights Centre (PRC)
set a new record with 593 tables. These centers saw an unprecedented level of activity, with rights agents from a total
of 355 agencies and publishing houses and 38,000 entries. More than 7,500 media representatives covered approximately
3,300 events.

Some delightful gatherings at various stands kicked off the Frankfurt Book Fair. Fantastic music from a lively DJ, along with
the cheerful atmosphere of the guests, dancing, and good conversations, got the event off to a vibrant start on the first evening.

Celebrities

On Sunday, many well-known and famous personalities visited the Frankfurt Book Fair. They signed autographs and offered
fans the chance to take a photo or selfie. The fan lines seemed endless, showing true dedication. Some fans waited up to two
hours to be at the front, eager to have their records and books signed.

The atmosphere was wonderful—happy, a bit exciting, and the weather cooperated as well. There was plenty of laughter,
new connections were made, and fans enjoyed lively exchanges as they waited their turn to meet their favorite stars.

Authors and Artists

Peter Maffay, Bertram Engel, Bülent Ceylan, John Strelecky, Franzi Kopka, astronaut Matthias Maurer, Ursula Poznanski,
and Thomas Gottschalk graced the literature stage, to name just a few.

The fair organizers made several changes compared to the previous year:

The layout and decorations of the stands were larger and more impressive, while the aisles were widened, giving visitors
significantly more space to move around comfortably.

„Meet the Author.“

Visitors could collect autographs from their favorite stars outside in five white tents. This was a brilliant solution,
as the halls tend to get quite hectic on visitor days, and this arrangement allowed everyone to enjoy a much
more relaxed atmosphere.

Bülent Ceylan

On the Open Stage, he presents his new book, JALLAH MORD!, a crime comedy.

This crime comedy is thrilling, funny, and captivating—a tale so engaging that it shows just how exciting a comedic crime story
can be, spilling over from the book’s pages. And is it based on a true story? We all know him, and who hasn’t laughed out loud—
“Luise” pushes all boundaries, and when his long hair flies over his shoulders, there’s not a dry eye left.

See for yourself as Bülent brings his crime comedy to life on stage…

Donald Duck

He celebrated his 90th birthday, and in his honor, a special oversized edition was released. This amazing book was available for
purchase at the stand, along with several other oversized comics. For those who couldn’t buy it there, it is now available at bookstores.

Bärbel Schäfer

She always has interesting and unique people as guests on her stage. This was also the case on Friday at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
But this time, things got quite eerie.

“Mit kaltem Kalkül” is the book title by Michael Tsokos.

Michael Tsokos is a forensic pathologist. He spoke in great detail about his work and various aspects of his field.
Everything was very logical and understandable, yet it still sent shivers down the audience’s spines. No one wanted to leave,
as it was too fascinating, and the audience stayed until the very end.

Franzi Kopka

She presented her current book “Game Show: The Price of Greed”. Everyone places bets on many things,
often throughout their lives. This was the spark of inspiration for Franzi when she was driving toward a traffic light and thought
to herself, “I bet it’s going to turn red!”

“But what if people had to gamble everything?!” Yes, indeed—everything, even their own lives. The protagonist goes from being
very rich to extremely poor, and what happens next is as shocking as it is fascinating.

A book that grips the reader and demands to be read in one go. Feel free to watch the video!

Peter Maffay

We all know him—the charming musician with the big heart, who has accomplished so much in his life, does his own thing,
and always thinks of others. Fans waited in line for up to two hours to see “their” Peter again and have their records,
his new photo book titled “KEIN WEG ZUWEIT: 55 Years of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Pictures, and other items signed, as well as to take a selfie.

One young lady stood in place, and when she realized that Peter Maffay was walking right past her,
she couldn’t stop screaming… check out the pictures!

Peter always has a smile and a positive attitude. He clearly enjoys himself and signed everything for all of his fans.

The photo book features amazing pictures from various concerts over the years, including from “Du”, Hitparade, Bravo,
Disco with Ilja Richter, pictures from his private life, his family, and the dedication:

“Memories are the paradise from which we cannot be driven…”

It couldn’t be more perfectly expressed, touching and appreciating more hearts along the way.

A family that couldn’t be more beautiful or filled with love than this one. A big thank you to Peter Maffay and the entire band.

Film Historian

Dr. Rosemarie Killius

A woman with so much to share, having experienced incredible things and met many celebrities along her life journey.
She was interviewed on the headline stage, offering us a glimpse into her eventful and fascinating life.

Dr. Rosemarie Killius recently wrote and published a book about the opera singer and film actress Maria Cebotari,
one of the most significant sopranos of the 20th century, titled “Ich lebe um zu singen” (“I Live to Sing”).
Rosemarie holds her in great esteem. Watch the short videos for yourself—it’s worth sticking around for…

The fact that her mother occasionally traveled to meet opera singers for autographs set Rosemarie on the path
to becoming a film historian. Along the way, she met very famous personalities such as Fritz Rau, who worked with Peter Maffay
for many years, and she personally met Peter Maffay, proudly showing me a photo with him. She even shook hands with Elvis Presley,
and many more exciting stories…

Be sure to watch the short interviews with Dr. Rosemarie Killius…

Bertram Engel

The drummer, who has been performing on stages around the world for over 50 years with Peter Maffay and Udo Lindenberg,
and has a wealth of exciting and interesting stories to tell, has now published his book:

“MIT ALTEN MÄNNERN SPIELE ICH NICHT” (“I Don’t Play with Old Men”).

He was at the Frankfurt Book Fair on Sunday, signing autographs for fans, taking many selfies, and clearly having a great time.
Many beautiful pictures were taken, and the fans left with bright eyes and huge smiles, thrilled with their signed items,
enjoying this wonderful moment.

See for yourself…

Globus von Columbus

A globe is a round thing and undergoes more changes than one might imagine. Borders, country names, and capitals change
, and every time, the globe manufacturer must respond by updating the maps used in production.

Since 1909, the family business Oestergaard has been making globes for the fifth generation. Their globes are handcrafted,
giving each one a personal touch. The globe can be personalized and even serve as a light source in a room.
It can be very small or very large, with a size to suit everyone.

It is certainly a real eye-catcher, and the most exquisite pieces are adorned with rhinestones.

Take a look at the pictures and let yourself be enchanted.

The Frankfurt Book Fair is much more than “just a book fair.” It’s an event that is always worth attending.

Book lovers from around the world gather here, and there’s nothing you can’t experience at this event.

Visitors can enter the fairgrounds from Friday at 2:00 p.m., and from then on, it becomes quite crowded as everyone
gets caught up in the “spirit of imagination and the world of books with all its shimmering facets.”

The 77th Frankfurt Book Fair will take place from October 15-19, 2025, with the Philippines as the guest of honor.

Save the date and look forward to these eventful days!

Viele Grüße Susanne Panhans