Founder takes stock

22nd edition a complete success: summary of Sprachsalz

Kufstein bookseller Markus Mayr (left) in conversation with Austrian author Michael Stavarič at the Book Café in the Lippott House.

(Bild: Berger Hubert)

From September 13 to 15, the International Literature Festival Sprachsalz took place for the first time in its new home port, the fortress town of Kufstein. Sprachsalz founder and chairman Heinz D. Heisl draws a first summary after the huge success of the 22nd edition of the well-known event for the "Krone".

"The 22nd edition was a success, full reading rooms, visitors from as far away as Munich, Vienna and Heidelberg, but also from the former festival city of Hall in Tyrol, confirmed this. I don't need to say anything more about the authors at this point. The program says it all. But what I would like to emphasize again and again is the support we received in Kufstein. Not only has our international reputation been confirmed, but this attitude towards us has helped to raise the profile of the literature festival and the festival town of Kufstein. Ideal premises, ideal environment, ideal commitment!"

Founder and chairman of the international literature festival Sprachsalz, musician and author Heinz D. Heisl.

(Bild: Daniel Jarosch)

Author Michael Stavarič is full of praise and recognition
Author Michael Stavarič more than entertained young and old bookworms at Sprachsalz with his captivating performance. However, due to the heavy storms in eastern Austria at the weekend, his departure home was delayed, which is why he had to stay in Kufstein longer than planned. The author is full of praise for the festival and the town. Over a cup of tea in the book café in Kufstein's Lippott-Haus, which was awarded the "Austrian Book Trade Prize" in 2019, he affirms: "Literature festivals are more than just readings. They are more than individual people and personalities. They are more than places. For me, they are above all encounters that have identity-forming dimensions. I was moved by Sprachsalz Kufstein - I got to know the children who grew up here. I also got to know some people beyond the festival. And above all, I learned how much Sprachsalz belongs here. And how much we look forward to the next edition. Where new authors from all over the world will arrive, leave something behind and take something with them from Kufstein. Sprachsalz is more than the sum of its parts, and I hope it will be allowed to continue in Kufstein in the long term."

The 22nd edition was a success, with full reading rooms and visitors from as far away as Munich, Vienna and Heidelberg, as well as from the former festival town of Hall in Tyrol.

Heinz D. Heisl

The medium of the book was at the center of the event 
Markus Mayr from Kufstein took over the book café in the Lippott House eight years ago and created an absolute oasis of well-being: Competent staff, a diverse range of books beyond the bestseller lists and several marble tables under historic vaults. You can read through the range of books here over coffee and cake.

Like the local branch of the Tyrolia publishing house, it is a partner of Sprachsalz with a book table at the festival and has the following to say from its first-time experience: "The festival has had an extremely positive effect on the book trade. The medium of the book was at the center of the event and the national and international authors who wrote the books were close to the audience and were able to give festival visitors personal access to their work with their readings and their stories about finding the content of a novel. This created an exciting platform for books that is by no means an everyday occurrence."