Czechia takes over as Guest of Honour for 2026 Frankfurt Book Fair

Czechia officially assumed the role of Guest of Honour for next year’s Frankfurt Book Fair, taking over from the Philippines at the closing ceremony of this year’s edition. The handover was marked by the presentation of a glass scroll containing an excerpt from Bohumil Hrabal’s Too Loud a Solitude, symbolically launching the Year of Czech Culture.

Throughout 2026, Czech culture, especially literature, will be showcased across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The presentation will carry the motto “A Country on the Shore,” a nod to Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, in which the playwright famously placed Bohemia by the sea.

According to Martin Krafl, head of the Czech Literary Centre, up to 80 Czech authors are expected to represent the country at next year’s book fair.