Crown Princess on German radio
Sunday evening, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit spoke to an audience numbering roughly 1 000 people and another 500 000 radio listeners about Norwegian literature and her personal relationship to reading.
As a studio guest on Radio Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB), the Crown Princess and her co-editor for the anthology Hjemlandet og andre fortellinger [The Homeland and other stories] were interviewed by well-known German radio host Thomas Böhm on the programme "Die Literaturagenten". The programme lasted two hours, during which the Crown Princess and selected Norwegian authors discussed Norwegian literature in front of a very attentive German audience.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Geir Gulliksen (left) in conversation with Thomas Böhm on Radio Eins.Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpix
In addition to discussing the Heimlandet anthology, the Crown Princess introduced authors Helga Flatland and Tomas Espedal to the German audience.
Norwegian singer Moddi, an author in his own right, took the stage and performed from the “Unsongs” project – a collection of 12 previously banned or censored songs. Moddi has also restyled this musical project into book form, and it has now been translated into German.
Norwegian artist Moddi. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpix
On Monday the Crown Prince and Crown Princess will begin the German version of the literary train tour and travel towards the Frankfurt Book Fair. En route, the train will be carrying eager young readers as well as Norwegian authors.
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Radio Eins
Crown Princess Mette-Marit was interviewed on the programme "Die Literaturagenten" on Radio Eins in Berlin. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpixPhoto 1 of 5 -
Radio Eins
The Corwn Prince and Crown Princess arrive at Radio Eins. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpixPhoto 2 of 5 -
Radio Eins
Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Geir Gulliksen (left) in conversation with Thomas Böhm on Radio Eins. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpixPhoto 3 of 5 -
Radio Eins
Crown Princess Mette-Marit in conversation with Thomas Böhm on Radio Eins. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpixPhoto 4 of 5 -
Radio Eins
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess with Norwegian authors Tomas Espedal and Helga Flatland outside RBB, Radio Eins inBerlin. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpixPhoto 5 of 5
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EnlargeFrankfurt Book Fair
The Frankfurt Book Fair is the largest and most important of its kind in the world. It takes place during a week in October. The first three days are devoted to the publishing business. Then the doors are opened to the public. The German book market is the second largest in the world.
Book and media people from 125 countries meet here to buy and sell rights. The fair draws some 300 000 visitors a year. About 10 000 journalists from around the world cover the event.
Norway is the fair’s Guest of Honour for 2019 – the result of a major collective effort by the Norwegian book industry. Norwegian Literature Abroad (NORLA) has taken the leadership role. Among the main goals is to feature new literary voices.
The Guest of Honour nation receives a great deal of attention across Germany. In Frankfurt, the Guest of Honour is spotlighted at many events throughout the autumn within all fields of art and culture.
Other Nordic countries honoured in this way found the experience to be highly positive. Finland was Guest of Honour at the fair in 2014 and Iceland in 2011.
The Crown Princess and literature
The Crown Princess loves to read and is passionate about books. She wants to share her reading pleasure and spread great literature, and she is convinced that there is a book for everyone.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit participates regularly in a wide variety literary events – from reading time for children in the Palace Park, to literature festivals and library visits. The Norwegian Library Association is one of the organisations under her patronage. The Crown Princess also work to arrange meetings about Norwegian literature during official visits to other countries.
In 2017, The Crown Princess took on the role of ambassador for Norwegian literature abroad. Norway was Guest of Honour at the book fair, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit opened the fair.
In 2024 she will open the Norwegian Pavilion at the international book fair in Kairo.
Among the Crown Princess’s literary activities, however, there is one that stands out in particular: her literary train tour. In recent years the Crown Princess has embarked on a literary train tour each spring, with events at libraries and houses of literature along the way.
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