Left Book Fair – “Before the revolution you have to come together – at least”

The Left Literature Fair in Nuremberg is quite unique in its kind in Germany. Reliably organized and constantly growing, it became more professional and extensive. Or how would you describe the development since it was founded in 1996?

Since its courageous beginnings in 1996, the Left Literature Fair has developed from a small networking meeting into one of the most important and enduring left-wing literary events in the German-speaking world. The number of participating publishers has continuously increased, as has the audience. In the first few years it was about giving left-wing literature a stage – today the fair is a broadly networked platform that brings together different left-wing movements, political discourses and international issues. This growing diversity also made it necessary to make the organization more professional, and so the fair grew together with its audience and the exhibitors. We have survived attempts at delegitimization, survived Corona and continue to manage to provide a service for the left-wing debate beyond scene boundaries at extremely low cost and with a lean structure. What hasn’t changed: all of this without a cent of paid work.

It all started in the rooms of the “Komm”, the famous self-managed communication center, a novelty in Bavaria at the time. It was evacuated and closed in 1997 shortly after the literature fair. How could the “Litmesse” continue after that?

Of course, dealing with this initially meant a lot of organizational and political work. As a result, both paid off: we stayed in the premises. It has been shown that both the publishers, the audience and the preparation collective have learned to overcome hurdles and remain flexible. The Litmesse has thus asserted itself a permanent place in the left-wing scene.

The “Komm” then became the “Kunstlerhaus” under city control. For the necessary renovation of the building, it was necessary to move from 2018 to 2022, this time to another well-known Nuremberg building, which is located just outside: the former AEG site is a relic of Nuremberg’s industrial history. We’ve been back to our old place since last year. Is this a return to our own autonomous history?

In fact, quite a few of the people who were there from the beginning and who are now almost 30 years older are happy to be back where it all began. Returning to the “Artist’s House” is a symbolic and at the same time ambivalent experience. On the one hand, it is a success that the Left Literature Fair has found a long-standing home in the heart of the city and is now finding again what is not a given, especially in conservative Bavaria. On the other hand, we are aware that the literature fair is always caught between urban influence, commercialization and our need for political autonomy. Especially in view of increasing state repression and deprivation of space for left-wing organizations and solidarity movements, such as Palestine Solidarity, we remain vigilant and defend ourselves with all legitimate means so that our scope for maneuver does not become smaller.

Come in three days from today numerous left-wing publishers come together and present a wide spectrum, that from antiquarian to newly published books suffices. There are anarchist distributors next to the FDJ publications. There is and isn’t there also friction?

The broad spectrum of political stances represented at the fair reflects the richness and complexity of the left-wing movement. Of course, there are different positions and sometimes controversial discussions – and that’s a good thing! This diversity is not only desired, but necessary to keep the left-wing discourse alive and to gain new insights. It is precisely through the coming together of the various left-wing positions that new perspectives and ideas arise. The Left Literature Fair sees itself as a platform on which exchange, solidarity and constructive debate are possible without one direction dominating. Since most publishers have been around for so long, respectful treatment of other positions has already become firmly established. We are extremely happy about that and perhaps this also exemplifies a piece of the ideal for the left-wing scene in Germany.

“Knowledge breaks the chains of slavery” was a motto of the socialist movement. Why do you need an in-person trade fair with print products in times of digitalization?

In times when so much happens digitally, personal exchange is more important than ever. An in-person fair like the Left Literature Fair makes it possible not just to passively consume knowledge, but also to experience it collectively and really come into contact. Encounters between readers, writers and publishers create a unique exchange that is difficult to reproduce in the digital world. The fair also offers a space in which books become tangible and not just appear on screens – something that has a deeper resonance, especially in left-wing culture. In the end, knowledge must take hold of people and they will then break their chains – and humanity can only achieve this together. To do this, you have to at least come together beforehand for the revolution to exchange ideas (laughs).

There are at the fair also 65 content-related events. What are you allowed to do? visitors look forward to this year?

As always, the program is a reflection of the publisher’s publications and thus of the left-wing debate. Evergreens like Georg Fülberth and Gisela Notz and local newcomers like Gabi Müller-Ballin read and discuss. From the anti-fascist struggle, from feminism, Ukraine and the Middle East to sanctions policy and the “wild life of Wiglaf Droste”, there is something for every taste – and if you have enough input, take a stroll past the over 60 exhibitors. We are convinced that there is something for everyone. If we charged admission, we would refund the money if we didn’t like it.

The trade fair opens on Friday evening with a top-class discussion on the shift to the right and the question of how the left should react to it. What is expected here?

We are actually really looking forward to this strong start. We were able to combine academic reflection by emeritus politics professor Frank Deppe and parliamentary perspectives by Özlem Demirel, MEP from the Left Party, and the experience of the street by activist Kim Kolja from the League of Communists Berlin into one podium. Afterwards, if, as the medieval philosopher Abu Said says, we are all one step closer to where we come from, we will have achieved a lot.

The Linke Literaturmesse Nuremberg starts this Friday and runs until Sunday afternoon in the “ Künstlerhaus”, Königsstraße 93. The current program can be found at https://www.linke-literaturmesse.org