?Practically every important Hungarian publisher was represented at the Frankfurt Book Fair, presenting their authors, negotiating, buying rights and deciding on publication dates and translations,? said Péter László Zentai, who heads the Association of Hungarian Publishers and Booksellers.
Among the many Hungarian authors appearing at the fair, in conjunction with other programmes as well as events at the Hungarian stand, was Péter Nádas, whose books have been big sellers in Germany for more than a decade. His publisher, Berliner Verlag, organised a number of opportunities for him to speak during the fair.
A special theme for the Hungarian stand at this year?s book fair was the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, which occurred fifty years ago. Several books about the revolution were presented at the stand and talks were also organised. A highlight of the book fair was a screening of János M. Rainer?s documentary film ?A Hot Autumn In The Cold War?, which touches on the international aspects of the ?56 Revolution and draws on sources from many foreign countries. Rainer, who heads the 1956 Institute, also presented the German translation of his biography of Imre Nagy, Hungary?s prime minister during the 1956 Revolution.
Zentai stressed the high level of interest in Hungarian literature in German translation. He said support for translations of Hungarian works with the aim of foreign publication should be multiplied by a factor of ten.
The number of visitors at the fair on Saturday and Sunday, when it was open to the public, reached 300,000.
