Press release of 6 Octobre 2025
PEN Berlin at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair
PEN Berlin is barely four years old — and is already presenting its fourth program at the Frankfurt Book Fair. As in 2022–2024, we once again have the honor this year of opening the main stage of the Frankfurt Book Fair with a panel discussion. Under the title “Literature Today: Can We Do Without It?”, writers Felicitas Hoppe, Marko Martin, Mithu Sanyal, and publisher Helge Malchow will join PEN Berlin spokesperson Thea Dorn on Wednesday morning to discuss the current state of literature.
We warmly invite you to this panel on the Center Stage (Hall 4.1), as well as to the eight additional events taking place at the PEN Berlin booth (3.1 H34). Among those appearing there are Prix Goncourt winner Kamel Daoud, sociologist Harald Welzer, psychologist Stephan Grünewald, and PEN Berlin founding members Christian Berkel and Michel Friedman.
Buy your ticket here | Use the discount code penberlinfbm25 to purchase a trade visitor day ticket for €40 instead of €91.
Here’s an overview of our 2025 program | Frankfurt Book Fair event portal
Wednesday, 15 Octobre
11:00 – 12:00 a.m. Opening of the Center Stage (Hall 4.1): Literature Today – Can We Do Without It?
Has literature hopelessly overestimated itself? Or, in the face of growing unfreedom, is it gaining new dissident power? Felicitas Hoppe, Helge Malchow, Marko Martin, and Mithu Sanyal – Moderated by Thea Dorn.
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.: When the Truth Goes to Hell
The Filipino author Patricia Evangelista explains how the suppression, murder, and persecution of government critics were framed by Duterte’s government as part of the fight against drug crime. Patricia Evangelista and her publisher and translator Zoë Beck in conversation with Ulrich Gutmair. (in English)
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.: #freeboualemsansal
The Peace Prize laureate and French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal has been imprisoned in Algeria for almost a year, sentenced to five years for expressing an opinion. Prix Goncourt winner Kamel Daoud reports on freedom of expression in Algeria and the situation of his friend Boualem Sansal. In conversation with literary critic Iris Radisch. (in French with German translation)
Thursday, 16 October
11:00 – 12:00 a.m.: Kyiv, 1919 – Kyiv, 2025
The Ukrainian writer Andrey Kurkov talks with PEN Berlin spokesperson Deniz Yücel about his country’s turbulent history and three years of war.
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.: I’m Having a Crisis
Stephan Grünewald and Saba-Nur Cheema discuss the inflationary use of the term “crisis” and what to make of our current feeling of crisis, in conversation with Ijoma Mangold.
Friday, 17 October
11:00 – 12:00 a.m.: Homeland: House of Feelings?
Heimat is among the most complex concepts in recent German history. What does it mean today? Hannah Lühmann and Harald Welzer discuss this with Bascha Mika.
12:15 – 1:15 p.m.: Democratic Awakening — and No One’s Watching
The recent protests and democratic uprising in Serbia have been quickly overlooked amid the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and the rise of global authoritarianism. Marko Vidojković (Serbia) in conversation with Paul-Henri Campbell. (in English)
Saturday, 18 October
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.: Sputnik & Sunny Beach
What are the narratives that shape our lives? How do our families and our continent form us? In their new books, Katerina Poladjan and Christian Berkel tell stories of self-discovery across Europe — both fictional and autobiographical. Moderated by Lucy Fricke.
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.: It Doesn’t Get More German Than This
One refuses to leave Germany to right wing parties; the other delivers a desperate yet defiant plea for democracy in our country. Michel Abdollahi and Michel Friedman in discussion with Cornelius Pollmer.
PEN Berlin. Wir stehen im Wort.