Name: Mord am Hellweg XII — International Crime Festival 2026
Start: 2026-09-19T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-11-14T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Iserlohn und weitere Hellweg-Städte (Unna, Bergkamen, Dortmund, Hamm u. a.)

Mord am Hellweg

About Mord am Hellweg

From September 19 to November 14, 2026, Mord am Hellweg XII — Europe's largest international crime festival — will take place. Over 57 festival days, around 100 events will be held in the Hellweg cities, including Iserlohn as an important program stop. Over 200 authors from Germany, Scandinavia, Great Britain, and internationally will appear, including Sebastian Fitzek, Val McDermid, Klaus-Peter Wolf, and Dietmar Bär. Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, Alex Beer, and others are confirmed. Detailed program in July 2026, individual ticket sales from spring 2026.

Dates 19 Sep — 14 Nov 2026

Venue Iserlohn (05962)

Prices —

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Mord am Hellweg — edition 2026

Tickets →

12th Mord am Hellweg in the Hellweg region: 57 days, around 100 events, over 200 authors. Confirmed include Sebastian Fitzek, Val McDermid, Klaus-Peter Wolf, Dietmar Bär, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, Alex Beer. Iserlohn as an important program stop. Complete program in July 2026.

The 12th edition of Mord am Hellweg is Europe's most ambitious crime festival — over 57 days in the Hellweg region, with around 100 events taking place simultaneously at multiple locations. As of spring 2026, star authors (Fitzek, McDermid, Wolf, Bär) are confirmed, with more names to be announced by the festival start. The program booklet will be published in July 2026, and individual ticket sales will begin in spring 2026.

Highlights Mord am Hellweg 2026

Europe's largest international crime festival
57 festival days, 100 events, 200+ authors
Top acts: Fitzek, McDermid, Wolf, Bär
Iserlohn as an important program stop
Program booklet published July 2026

Programme Mord am Hellweg 2026

Confirmed Authors (As of Spring 2026)

Sebastian Fitzek — psychological thrillers
Val McDermid (UK) — British crime author
Klaus-Peter Wolf — East Frisia crime novels
Dietmar Bär — Tatort actor and reading star
Eva Björg Ægisdóttir (Iceland) — Scandinavian Noir
Alex Beer (Austria) — historical crime novels

Variety of Formats

Readings in city libraries, bookstores, municipal halls, special locations
Crime Dinners — Readings with multi-course meals
Tatort tours in the Hellweg cities
City crime walks
Crime concerts
Discussions and panel talks

Iserlohn as a Festival Location

Readings in municipal spaces and bookstores
Program stops throughout the festival duration

Prices Mord am Hellweg 2026

Individual tickets and festival passes available via the festival website. Crime dinners can be booked as packages. Complete price list with program booklet in July 2026.

Practical information

Practical information — Mord am Hellweg

Getting There

Iserlohn is accessible by train (RB54 Iserlohner Kreisbahn from Hagen / Letmathe). By car via the A45 (exit Hagen-Süd → B7) or the A46 (exit Iserlohn). Readings are held in city libraries and bookstores, all easily accessible by public transport.

Tickets

Individual ticket presale from spring 2026. Festival passes and crime dinner packages available via the festival website. Complete program booklet in July 2026.

Tip

Tickets for top authors (Fitzek, McDermid, Bär) tend to sell out quickly — book early. Those who want to attend multiple events should consider the festival pass.

Europe's Largest Crime Festival Returns

Every two years, Mord am Hellweg brings together Europe's crime scene in the East Westphalian-Westphalian Hellweg region. The 12th edition in 2026 runs from September 19 to November 14 — 57 festival days, around 100 events, over 200 authors. A format that has grown since 2002 into Europe's largest and most concentrated crime event. Iserlohn is one of the central program stops of the festival — alongside Unna, Bergkamen, Dortmund, Hamm, and other Hellweg cities.

Confirmed Authors

As of spring 2026, the following are confirmed, among others:

Sebastian Fitzek — Bestselling author of psychological thrillers
Val McDermid (UK) — one of the most renowned British crime authors
Klaus-Peter Wolf — bestselling East Frisia crime author
Dietmar Bär — Actor (Tatort Köln) and star of crime readings
Eva Björg Ægisdóttir (Iceland) — representative of Scandinavian Noir
Alex Beer (Austria) — Historical crime novels (Vienna series)

More names will be announced successively until the festival. The complete program booklet will be published in July 2026.

Variety of Formats

Mord am Hellweg is not just a classic crime reading. The program includes:

Readings in city libraries, bookstores, municipal halls, and special locations
Crime Dinners — readings combined with multi-course meals
Tatort Tours in the Hellweg cities
City Crime Walks
Crime Concerts
Discussions, panel talks, workshops

Iserlohn as a Hellweg Program Stop

Iserlohn is the district town of the Märkischer Kreis in North Rhine-Westphalia — on the southern edge of the Hellweg region, at the transition to the Sauerland. The city has been participating in the festival for years and hosts several readings and events in municipal spaces, bookstores, and cultural institutions.

Genre Spectrum

The curatorial diversity ranges from Cozy Mystery to classic whodunits, regional crime novels (East Frisia, Eifel, Munich) and Tatort novels to psychological thrillers, Scandinavian Noir, and true crime reports. The festival consciously positions itself as a broadly based genre forum.