#26 Books and Bicycles
Hogrefe is not the only one celebrating an anniversary in 2024. Carsten Königsberg, Head of Sales (Books & Journals), is also a celebrant of a very special anniversary this year as he went to the Frankfurt Book Fair with Hogrefe for the first time exactly 30 years ago. In this short interview, he explains why the annual visit still excites him to this day.
Can you remember the first time you attended the Frankfurt Book Fair with Hogrefe?
Yes, that was in 1994. In the years that followed, eCommerce gained momentum and changed the book industry forever.
What makes the Frankfurt Book Fair special for you?
For 40 years of my career, I have been fascinated by the mix of culture, education, science, and business. For almost a week, the Frankfurt Book Fair becomes the largest “bookshop” in the world and presents an indescribable variety of new books and topics. At the same time, it is also a huge analog network.
What is the most interesting anecdote you have experienced at the Frankfurt Book Fair?
I made an appearance as a cycling book messenger in 2001, which was even reported in the daily newspaper “Die Tagespresse”. Back then, these “baker's bikes” were nostalgic eye-catchers.
Today, cargo bikes are experiencing a renaissance and are part of the mobility revolution.
Did you ever have a special experience with a particular book at the fair?
Yes, that was also in 1994. The subject of our book “Psychotherapie im Wandel” (Change in Psychotherapy) by Klaus Grave was the subject of an editorial in the journal “Der Spiegel” and a special documentary on ZDF. This triggered a big media hype at the book fair, even without any social media, which did not yet exist. Incidentally, the book is still available and is now one of the historical milestones in psychotherapy literature.
