Switzerland, Biel-Bienne, The fourth ANARCHIST BOOKFAIR 20-22 September 2013

2010 was the first time an anarchist bookfair took place in the bilingual city of 
Biel/Bienne. With more than 500 visitors, more than two dozen exhibitors, and lectures on 
the theory and practice of anarchism, the event was a great success. Due to this 
experience, the decision was made to organize another bookfair on the language border in 
2011. In 2012, the bookfair became larger when it took place during the International 
Anarchist Gathering in St. Imier and took up a large part of a hockey rink. The stands 
were occupied by exhibitors from well-over a dozen countries, exhibiting in eight 
languages. The popular bookfair will take place again this year. This time, it will be at 
the same place in the heart of Biel/Bienne, but it will be held later in the year from the 
20th-22nd September.

20th - 22nd September 2013, Biel-Bienne (Switzerland)
www.buechermesse.ch | info(a)buechermesse.ch

Anarchist Bookfairs

30 years back there were a few anarchists in London. They attended some so-called 
socialist bookfairs but these events were agonizingly boring, expensive and also 
frequented by a lot of huge publishing companies. So the wish was born to create an own 
anarchist bookfair. With reference to the attributes ?anarchist? or ?libertarian?, there 
were on the one hand the offered programs of publishers and on the other hand a special 
kind of opinion how the event should look like at this new ?anarchist bookfair?. It was 
not only about selling a lot of books and to introduce people to anarchism but also to 
create a platform for activists and a wide range of cultural events. The specific notion 
of anarchism, which attaches great importance to the individual freedom, should also be 
lived at a book-fair. So racism, sexism, homophobia etc. had no place there. However, the 
do-it-yourself-attitude, the solidarity of the visitors and offerers, and the direct 
democratic way of making decisions was very important.

But the first ?Anarchist Bookfair? drew a blank: only half a dozen offerers and a few 
visitors joined the event. So the few people that were there switched the bookfair into a 
billards tournament. But for all the disillusioning experience the enthusiasm resists ? 
the fame of the event is growing with age. More libertarian publishers have emerged from 
the underground, more interested people have come to see and larger events could be 
realised. So the bookfair has become so famous, that it will be realized for the 30th time 
this year. The organisers have no need to be modest, when remarking that their event is 
the largest and most important regular happeningin the world for anarchists.

The figures are impressing: 100 stands, 40 events and about 3000 visitors. This each and 
every day. By now the ?London Anarchist Bookfair? isn`t the only one of its species. This 
is why the organisers put an emphasis on ?London?. In the course of years half a dozen 
bookfairs have been organized in Great Britain. If you are interested in literature you 
have a hard choice in Canada and the USA, because between spring and autumn there is 
nearly every weekend a bookfair. Also in Latin America ? here anarchist bookstores and 
libraries have a long tradition ? there have been some trails of bookfairs in the recent 
years, as well as in Monterrey(Mexico) and S?o Paulo(Brazil).

Finally we have some reactions in Europe: Since 2003 there?s the ?Balkan Anarchist 
Bookfair? (2003 in Ljubljana, 2005 in Zagreb, 2008 in Sofia and 2009 in Thessaloniki). 
Since 2006 there is a yearly "Anarhisti?ki sajam knjiga" in Zagreb(Croatia) and more 
anarchist bookfairs in Poznan(Poland). In Western Europe the Spanish comrades attract the 
attention with the "ferias del libro anarquista". There are bookfairs in Barcelona, 
Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia. In Paris, Gent, Florence, Lisbon, Dublin and Oberhausen, more 
bookfairs have been organised. Over the years the concept hasn`t changed much. But the 
programs have grown on. Today most of these events called bookfairs, are also cultural 
happenings, minor art-galleries, course of lectures, movie series, meeting places ? all in 
one.

www.buechermesse.ch
www.foire-du-livre.ch