International Literature Festival Graal-Müritz (ilgm)

A Young Festival with High Ambitions

The ilgm was founded in 2024 by Bebelplatz e.V. in close cooperation with the Tourismus- und Kur GmbH Graal-Müritz — as a contribution to the cultural networking of the Baltic Sea rim states and to the literary tradition of the seaside resort (Kästner, Tucholsky, Kafka). The 2nd edition in 2026 consistently continues this ambition and focuses on Eastern European voices: authors from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Austria will be invited to speak about war, exile, memory, and democracy.

Opening 2026: Boualem Sansal

The festival will be opened on September 22, 2026, by Boualem Sansal — the Algerian-French writer who received the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 2012 and was admitted to the Académie française in January 2026. Sansal's insightful novels (»Das Dorf des Deutschen«, »2084. Das Ende der Welt«) and his political essays on the Arab world make him one of the most important voices in contemporary Francophone literature. The opening will be moderated by Iris Radisch (Die Zeit).

International Authors 2026

• Andrei Kurkov (Ukraine) — known for his war diaries »Diary of an Invasion« and his historical crime novels
• Juri Andruchowitsch (Ukraine) — essayist and poet, one of the most important Ukrainian intellectuals
• Julia Cimafeeva and Alhierd Bacharevic (Belarus) — poet and novelist in exile in Berlin
• Raoul Schrott (Austria) — poet and translator of classics
• Radka Denemarková (Czech Republic) — novelist, winner of the Magnesia Litera Prize
• Dorota Masłowska (Poland) — author of »Schneeweiß und Russenrot«
• Maren Amini, Kat Menschik, Jens Rassmus, Dirk Reinhardt — Comics and graphic novels, focus on children's and young adult literature

Themes and Program Pillars

The 2026 program structure includes:

• Readings and discussions with the invited authors
• Legal lecture by Prof. Heike Krieger on public international law issues of geopolitical conflicts
• Focus on German-Polish history and relations
• Children's and young adult literature with dedicated events
• Music and performance as a complementary program line

Venues and Atmosphere

The festival is spread across three central locations in Graal-Müritz: the Haus des Gastes as the main venue, the Konzertpavillon im Rhododendronpark as an open-air stage with a special atmospheric effect, and the Lukaskirche as a sacred event space with excellent acoustics for readings and concerts.

Sponsorship and Funding

The main organizer is Bebelplatz e.V., with organizational support from Tourismus- und Kur GmbH Graal-Müritz. The festival is funded by the Jan Michalski Foundation (Switzerland, promoting world literature), the Foundation for German-Polish Cooperation, the Rostock district, and cultural institutes from Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Iceland, and Estonia.