Hamburger Krimifestival

North Germany's Largest Crime Festival

The Hamburger Krimifestival is one of the most distinguished literary festivals in the German-speaking world – and by far the largest for the crime literature genre. It has been organized since 2008 by an alliance of three Hamburg institutions: Buchhandlung Heymann (one of Hamburg's oldest bookstores with several branches), Hamburger Abendblatt (daily newspaper), and Literaturhaus Hamburg. This sponsoring structure gives the festival an unusual mix of bookstore pragmatism, media reach, and literary ambition.

Kampnagel as the Main Venue

The main venue is Kampnagel at Jarrestraße 20 – the former machine factory in the Winterhude or Barmbek-Süd district (Hamburg-Nord borough), which has been one of Germany's most important independent theaters and performance venues since the 1980s. During the festival days, several halls will be used in parallel: the main stage for the big names, smaller stages for intimate readings and workshop discussions.

40 Authors from Home and Abroad

The festival brings around 40 crime authors to its stages every year. German bestselling authors such as Sebastian Fitzek, Nele Neuhaus, and Volker Kutscher have been regular guests in recent years, complemented by international guests from Scandinavia (Camilla Läckberg, Jo Nesbø), the English-speaking world (Karin Slaughter), and France. The exact lineup for 2026 will be announced successively in the months leading up to the festival.

Formats

The program includes:

• Readings – classic author readings with moderated discussions
• Workshop discussions – authors explain their writing process, research, and construction
• Panels – discussions on thematic focuses (e.g., "Crime and Politics", "True Crime in Literature")
• Special formats – occasionally also staged readings, film screenings, encounters with translators

Pre-Event in Bergedorf

A special feature of the festival is the pre-event in April 2026 – held in advance in Bergedorf, as an opening salute to the festival season. This extends the festival's reach beyond the five main festival days.

Ticket Sales

Tickets are available through the Heymann bookstores, the office of the Hamburger Abendblatt (Großer Burstah 18–32), and the Kampnagel box office. Online sales are available via kampnagel.de. The organizers expressly warn against third-party platforms with black market prices.

Borough Connection

In the Hamburg-Nord borough, Kampnagel is a central venue – from the Krass Festival in March to the Krimifestival in November, the house hosts various formats throughout the year. The Krimifestival is one of the most popular and internally recognized events of the venue.