Burg Hülshoff Literature Festival

Burg Hülshoff Literature Festival 2026 — Literature in the Münsterland moated castle

From July 1st to 5th, 2026, Burg Hülshoff near Havixbeck — the birthplace of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff — will transform into a vibrant stage for contemporary literature. The Center for Literature has programmed a dense festival weekend: a festive opening on July 1st from 6 p.m., followed by five days of discussions, guided tours, performances, and culinary interventions, all set within one of Westphalia's most iconic moated castles.

Burg Hülshoff — the place as part of the programme

Burg Hülshoff, a moated castle built around 1300 with a Baroque layout, is more than a historical monument: Annette von Droste-Hülshoff (1797-1848), one of the most important German-language poets and author of Die Judenbuche, grew up here. Today, the castle houses the Annette von Droste-Hülshoff Museum and the Center for Literature, a literary programming institution with international connections. The year-round programme includes readings, writing workshops, research, and festival formats — the July festival is the annual highlight.

Thematic Focus — Conversations and Performance

The 2026 festival emphasizes dialogue over bestseller reading tours. Instead of classic author readings reduced to reading from a book, the Center for Literature programmes:

• Conversations between female authors, translators, publishers, and the audience
• Guided tours of the castle and the Droste Museum with a literary focus
• Performances — staged readings, sound installations, multimedia productions
• Culinary interventions — gastronomic contributions that sensorially enhance the literary experience

Additional Programme Lines — Summer 2026 at Burg Hülshoff

The July festival is part of a packed programme year for 2026:

• Poetry Walk: Literature through Nature — guided walks with poetry (June, July, August, September)
• Long Weekend of New Drama (June 21st, 2026) with panel discussions on contemporary theatre creation
• Garden Dreams (May 23rd-25th, 2026) — garden fair weekend
• filmclub münster — film screenings throughout the summer
• Festive Opening of Rüschhaus (sister location) on July 1st

Rüschhaus — the second location

Burg Hülshoff also includes Rüschhaus, an 18th-century residence where Annette von Droste-Hülshoff spent a large part of her life. It is located in Münster-Nienberge, about 12 km from Burg Hülshoff. The Center for Literature programmes at both locations — the festive opening of Rüschhaus on July 1st is part of the festival weekend.

Münsterland and Havixbeck

Burg Hülshoff is located in the municipality of Havixbeck in the Coesfeld district, about 15 km west of Münster. With its over 100 moated castles, the Münsterland is one of the densest castle landscapes in Europe — and Burg Hülshoff is among the most impressive. The combination of a moated castle, literary heritage, and internationally connected programming makes the Burg Hülshoff Festival one of the most atmospherically rich literature festivals in Germany.