Frankfurt Book Fair 2010

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Tradition and future: the history of the Frankfurt Book Fair


The history of the Frankfurt Book Fair dates back to the 15th century, when Johannes Gutenberg first invented movable type - only a few kilometres down the road from Frankfurt.

Frankfurt remained the central and undisputed European book fair city through to the 17th century. In the course of political and cultural upheaval, in the 18th century Leipzig then came to play the part.

In 1949, that early Frankfurt book fair tradition was given a new lease of life: 205 German exhibitors assembled on Sept. 18-23 in Frankfurt's Paulskirche for the first post-War book fair.

Almost 60 trade-fair years later, the Frankfurt Book Fair is the largest of its kind in the world - and the hallmark for global activities in the field of culture.