Willa Decius at the Leipzig Book Fair. A Polish voice at the heart of the European literary conversation 27.03.2026
The presence of the Willa Decius Institute for Culture at the 2026 Leipzig Book Fair marked an important sign of the growing international recognition of Polish literature and Polish translation initiatives. At one of Europe’s most significant literary events, we presented Radar magazine and took part in the announcement of the shortlist for the Karl Dedecius Prize — an award that has for years played a real role in strengthening the presence of Polish and German-language literature in translation.
The Leipzig Book Fair is one of Europe’s key meeting points for literature, publishers, translators and readers. In this broad international context, Willa Decius was also present, helping to strengthen the visibility of Polish literature where the conversation about books truly takes place: not on the margins, but at the very centre of the European literary landscape.
The Polish stand featured the presentation of “Radar”, a magazine published by Willa Decius — a unique project that creates space for dialogue between literatures, languages and the experiences of Central and Eastern Europe. Radar has long been linked to the international profile of Willa Decius; it was created as a shared platform for writers and thinkers from different parts of Europe and remains one of the clearest examples of how literature can cross political, linguistic and symbolic borders. It is not simply a publication — it is a tool for encounter.
A particularly important moment was the announcement of the shortlist for the Karl Dedecius Prize, for which Villa Decius / Willa Decius is a strategic partner. The award, presented to translators of Polish and German-language literature, highlights the crucial role of translation in building cultural dialogue across borders. It is an initiative that not only honours outstanding translators, but also helps books travel further, reach new audiences and enter new literary contexts.
The 2026 shortlist in the category of translation from Polish into German includes: Bernhard Hartmann for his translation of Aurelia Wyleżyńska, Olaf Kühl for his translation of Szczepan Twardoch, Lisa Palmes for her translation of Zyta Rudzka, and Renate Schmidgall for her translation of Jakub Małecki. In the category of translation from German into Polish, the shortlisted translators are: Eliza Borg for her translation of Jenny Erpenbeck, Małgorzata Gralińska for Gregor von Rezzori, Kamil Idzikowski for Judith Schalansky, and Agnieszka Kowaluk for Elfriede Jelinek.
Willa Decius’s presence in Leipzig clearly demonstrates that international cultural activity brings tangible results. Promoting Polish literature abroad, supporting translators, and building partnerships around projects such as Radar and the Karl Dedecius Prize all contribute to a stronger presence of Polish authors in the European publishing landscape. To put it plainly: strong institutional work does not end with a single event. It opens the way for books, names and ideas.
We are pleased that Willa Decius could be part of this process in Leipzig — among major publishing houses, international premieres and some of the most important conversations about contemporary literature. This presence strengthens not only the recognition of our own projects, but also the visibility of Polish literature as an important participant in the European cultural debate. Because literature today needs not only outstanding books, but also wise and lasting bridges.
The Polish stand featured the presentation of “Radar”, a magazine published by Willa Decius — a unique project that creates space for dialogue between literatures, languages and the experiences of Central and Eastern Europe. Radar has long been linked to the international profile of Willa Decius; it was created as a shared platform for writers and thinkers from different parts of Europe and remains one of the clearest examples of how literature can cross political, linguistic and symbolic borders. It is not simply a publication — it is a tool for encounter.
A particularly important moment was the announcement of the shortlist for the Karl Dedecius Prize, for which Villa Decius / Willa Decius is a strategic partner. The award, presented to translators of Polish and German-language literature, highlights the crucial role of translation in building cultural dialogue across borders. It is an initiative that not only honours outstanding translators, but also helps books travel further, reach new audiences and enter new literary contexts.
The 2026 shortlist in the category of translation from Polish into German includes: Bernhard Hartmann for his translation of Aurelia Wyleżyńska, Olaf Kühl for his translation of Szczepan Twardoch, Lisa Palmes for her translation of Zyta Rudzka, and Renate Schmidgall for her translation of Jakub Małecki. In the category of translation from German into Polish, the shortlisted translators are: Eliza Borg for her translation of Jenny Erpenbeck, Małgorzata Gralińska for Gregor von Rezzori, Kamil Idzikowski for Judith Schalansky, and Agnieszka Kowaluk for Elfriede Jelinek.
Willa Decius’s presence in Leipzig clearly demonstrates that international cultural activity brings tangible results. Promoting Polish literature abroad, supporting translators, and building partnerships around projects such as Radar and the Karl Dedecius Prize all contribute to a stronger presence of Polish authors in the European publishing landscape. To put it plainly: strong institutional work does not end with a single event. It opens the way for books, names and ideas.
We are pleased that Willa Decius could be part of this process in Leipzig — among major publishing houses, international premieres and some of the most important conversations about contemporary literature. This presence strengthens not only the recognition of our own projects, but also the visibility of Polish literature as an important participant in the European cultural debate. Because literature today needs not only outstanding books, but also wise and lasting bridges.