This year, Finnish literature is in the spotlight in German-speaking Europe. 2024 marks the tenth anniversary of Finland’s Guest of Honour year at the world’s largest literary event, the Frankfurt Book Fair. To celebrate this milestone, FILI – Finnish Literature Exchange has launched a year-long focus on the German book market. It’s Finland Again! – Finnish Literature in German-Speaking Europe aims to boost the readership and visibility of Finnish literature.
The project, which will culminate at the Frankfurt Book Fair from 16-20th October, has been realised in cooperation with the Finnish Institute in Germany, the Finnish Embassy in Germany, and Visit Finland.
“We wanted to use this special project to find new ways of highlighting Finnish books translated into German. For example, we have recently been examining what happens to a translated book after publication and how we can more effectively connect with readers in the competitive German market. We also aim to attract new readers and, of course, to increase the number of translations across all genres of Finnish literature,” says Tiia Strandén, director of FILI.
In cooperation with Visit Finland, which promotes responsible tourism, FILI has produced a series of book videos particularly aimed at social-media influencers. This nature-focused influencer campaign focuses on recently translated books that use fiction to explore the complex relationship between humans and nature. In these videos, Matias Riikonen (Matara), Iida Turpeinen (Elolliset), and Maria Turtschaninoff (Arvejord) speak in the natural settings that inspired the worlds of their books. The video material will also be featured on the Visit Finland tourism portal for German tourists. The nature-focused campaign will culminate in an author meet-and-greet at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Another way to reach new readers is by participating in Finnlines’s literary cruise in November, where the author Arttu Tuominen will appear alongside his translator, Anke Michler-Janhunen. The cruise, organised in cooperation with Finnlines and the Lübbe publishing house, is aimed at tourists arriving in Finland from Germany.
To celebrate this anniversary, the Frankfurt Book Fair provides a rich programme of events, including FILI’s Fellowship Programme for translators of Finnish literature, discussions on translation, and a comic battle between Finnish and German artists. All literary genres will be represented in the exhibition 100 or So Books from Finland 2024, specially produced for the fair by FILI. These book presentations can also be found on the FILI website, where all German-language translations published this year and next year have been compiled.
Descriptions of nature appeal to German readers
Today around 40 works of Finnish literature are published in German every year, compared to only 20 in 2016. In total, up to 450-500 translations of Finnish literature are published worldwide each year, compared to fewer than 400 in 2016.
“The number varies from year to year, but it has been steadily rising in recent years,” says Tiia Strandén.
Iida Turpeinen’s debut novel, Beasts of the Sea, was one of the literary highlights of last year. Its translation rights have been sold to nearly 30 language regions in a short time. Alongside Finnish literary agents, translators play a major role in the search for international bestsellers. Maximilian Murmann, who has translated both Turpeinen and Riikonen’s novels into German, became enthusiastic about the subject of Elolliset as soon as he read the book’s introductory text.
“I got to read the book before it was published, and I was hooked right away. Rarely have I read a book that manages to describe such a significant and serious subject as human-induced extinction in such an engaging and intelligent way. I immediately realised I was looking at an exceptional book that would certainly attract a great deal of interest outside Finland too. I contacted the author’s agency, Helsinki Literary Agency, and the author, and put together a package of materials in German, on the basis of which S. Fischer Verlag decided to acquire the translation rights. The enthusiasm of the publishing house has been incredible.“
What does Murmann think it is about Finnish literature that appeals to German readers?
“The descriptions of nature appeal strongly to German readers. For many Germans, Finland, with its forests and lakes, is a popular holiday and tourist destination. Many also associate a certain sense of humour with Finland, and this is something they look for in Finnish literature. Additionally, I believe some German readers are very interested in Finland’s eventful history. Ultimately, however, popularity among readers always depends on the individual book, its subject and style.“
He appreciates the diversity of Finnish literature, especially unique works that offer new perspectives, both thematically and linguistically.
“In this respect, Finland has a lot to offer right now.“
During the It’s Finland Again! project, a large number of author visits have been organised in cooperation with literary festivals and publishers in German-speaking Europe. Throughout the year, nearly 30 authors and comic artists will appear at more than 50 literary and reading events in the German-speaking world. One of the most widely recognised Finnish writers is the internationally acclaimed Pajtim Statovci, who recently won the prestigious Prize for Contemporary Literature in Translation in Germany, alongside his translator, Stefan Moster, for his novel Kissani Jugoslavia. Statovci has already attended the Leipzig Book Fair this year and has participated in reading tours in Berlin, Stuttgart, and Linz in Austria. He considers meeting foreign readers an important part of literary export.
“Finnish literature is very high quality, and it interests people around the world. Supporting literary export is key to the international well-being of our literature in the future. Every work of Finnish literature published in translation benefits the Finnish literary scene as a whole.”
For more information: Hannele Jyrkkä, , tel. +358 50 3222 387
