Literarischer Sommer / Literaire Zomer

In summer 2025, the German-Dutch literature festival will once again offer a wide range of opportunities to engage with current literature from the local language regions and neighbouring Dutch-speaking regions. Around 50 events will be offered in 20 cities between July and September: in libraries and cultural institutions, but also in more unusual venues for readings, such as museums or in the open air.

In addition to classic readings, other formats are also on offer, such as the Literary Walks, which trace authors, works and publishing history in Aachen, Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Venlo. Crossing language borders is a particular focus of this bilingual literary event, with not only authors reading in neighbouring countries, but often the respective literary translators are also invited to report on their work and enrich the discussion with a broader perspective on the book world.

The festival, which was initially supported for many years by the NRW KULTURsekretariat as part of the ‘Cooperated Projects’ and has been continued as a separate programme since 2018, involves the following member cities on the German side: Aachen, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Krefeld, Mönchengladbach and Neuss.