Discussion and clear positions are necessary: ​​That is the majority assessment in the culture committee of the Frankfurt City Council on the presence of right-wing publishers at the recent book fair.

Head of the culture department Ina Hartwig (SPD) had invited the director of the book fair, Juergen Boos, to the committee to initiate an exchange.

Eva Maria Magel

Senior cultural editor of the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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Hartwig said in her report at the beginning of the committee that the coalition had long wanted to discuss the problems facing right-wing publishers.

The Jungeuropa publishing house prominently in Hall 3 had "not a lucky placement".

Previously, Rahel Berhanu spoke in the citizens' group;

she had organized alternative readings for black authors who had avoided the book fair because of right-wing publishers.

Boos said he was "stirred by what happened at the book fair." That black authors did not feel safe hurt the book fair team.

The Book Fair is politically committed and involved in diversity, and due to German history it has always been accompanied by disputes.

Every exhibitor and the books would be examined carefully, and all legal options would be used.

"We have to endure some things," says Boos.

Right-wing publishers “endure” at the fair

As the leading trade fair, the book fair should not be excluded. "But we are allowed to set topics and content ourselves." Everything that is against the law will be removed. "It takes place all year round." In the case of prohibited content, but also in the event of a threat, an exclusion is possible - from books, people and publishers. The book fair stands for the book and the discussion. There used to be political symposiums at the Römer before the book fair, and Boos said he would like to continue this dialogue.

Numerous city councilors contradicted the statement that one had to “endure” right-wing publishers at the fair.

Placing them only in less frequented book fair locations is not a solution.

You have to risk failing in court and continue to argue legally.

Boss had previously pointed out several times that publishers could legally counteract an exclusion if laws were not violated.

It is a difficult path, but a "clear edge" must be defined.

BFF and AFD insisted on freedom of expression and the Basic Law.

Uwe Paulsen (Die Grünen) said he was "irritated" by Boos' comments.

In 2017 he had already witnessed the "expression of helplessness" towards the right-wing publisher Antaios.

Nobody questions the merits of the book fair and its commitment.

But there is the world of discourse and that of reality in which this thinking materializes.

“There are people who suffer from the freedom of this discourse”.

Actions result from patterns of thought.

Many conversations are necessary in society.

"I don't know how we can resolve the dilemma," says Boos.

"We don't shy away from controversy." The discussion should be continued, said Hartwig, and now future opportunities for exchange should be sought before the next trade fair.