2026: The Most Beautiful German Books

An intricately folded dust jacket, featuring a purely typographical design on the front covers, envelops *The Search for the Indefinite*....

An intricately folded dust jacket, featuring a purely typographical design on the front covers, envelops *The Search for the Indefinite*. On its initially concealed pages, sketches, photographs and architectural plans of the pilgrimage church *Maria, Queen of Peace* set the scene for the magnum opus of the architect and Pritzker Prize laureate Gottfried Böhm. The sculptural building is not viewed in isolation, however, as the architect created further places of encounter—such as a nursery and a pilgrims’ hostel—along a cascade of squares. In this volume, Steffen Kunkel examines the entire district for the first time and, in a generous format, also conveys Böhm’s design philosophy.

“An unobtrusive, very clear and rhythmic design with a fantastic interplay between text and images – this is how a...

“An unobtrusive, very clear and rhythmic design with a fantastic interplay between text and images – this is how a book becomes a journey,” was the jury’s statement; as they leafed through the pages, they immediately felt as though they were in Leipzig. The subtitle ‘The City as a Playing Field’ also aptly describes where this journey is headed: architect Gunnar Volkmann guides us to the sites of key events from past decades whilst simultaneously addressing the challenges of the present. Carefully curated black-and-white photographs by Christian Rothe accompany this extraordinary stroll through the city, which is fast-paced and captivatingly rich in detail.

The holographic cover of *The Ginny Suite*, with the title and blurb embossed in black, gives a subtle hint that...

The holographic cover of *The Ginny Suite*, with the title and blurb embossed in black, gives a subtle hint that this is no run-of-the-mill novel awaiting the reader. In fact, it is a rather sombre, speculative collage of stories and poems, diary entries and advertisements, culminating in a multi-page list of web addresses. Everything revolves around a mysterious syndrome that predominantly affects women and leads to loss of speech and submissiveness. In Stacy Skolnik’s thought experiment, topical issues such as AI, surveillance and disinformation are given just as much space as reflections on gender roles, bioethics and modern lifestyle diseases.

Is it a non-fiction book or a graphic novel? With great sensitivity and a varied drawing style, Hanna Harms succeeds...

Is it a non-fiction book or a graphic novel? With great sensitivity and a varied drawing style, Hanna Harms succeeds in creating an almost poetic exploration of forest conservation: “Educational without coming across as didactic”, as the judges emphasise. It is the combination of clear infographics and illustrative explanatory images that gives the book its rhythm, whilst the subtle colour scheme creates a calm atmosphere. The finely tuned typefaces for the graphic novel section and the accompanying afterword also scored highly in the assessment. According to the jury, these contribute to the “compelling design with a wonderful artistic style”. The illustrator’s minimalist, often abstract style, in turn, immediately captivates the reader and draws their attention to what is essential. A visual delight that simultaneously lays bare the endangered role of the forest without flinching, whilst gently urging us to take responsibility. Where is action needed, and what contribution can each and every one of us make?

Using bright neon colours and a variety of illustration techniques, the brilliant duo Verena Hochleitner and Laura Momo Aufderhaar explore...

Using bright neon colours and a variety of illustration techniques, the brilliant duo Verena Hochleitner and Laura Momo Aufderhaar explore life’s potential disasters. Weaved into a narrative, they provide age-appropriate practical advice for dealing with exceptional situations – from encounters with wild animals to fires or earthquakes. “Enjoy the read and don’t panic,” the foreword advises, before the reader joins two friends on a walk. Along the way, they tell each other stories about people who have survived all manner of disasters. What should you do if you’re trapped in a cave or have got lost in the woods? Between the episodes – which are as educational as they are entertaining – interactive decision trees with yes-no choices serve as playful chapter dividers. “These solution matrices are excellently realised graphically, and the neon background effect complements the theme superbly,” said the jury. Rounded corners and a charmingly designed front and backispiece are just as much a testament to the book’s careful design as the wide fold, which ensures the pages lay flat perfectly. The high-quality flexicover, with its fabric-like texture, invites you to touch it.