António Lobo Antunes and Feridun Zaimoglu, A. L. Kennedy and John Banville: Since 1989, the white villa by Hamburg's Alster lake has been home to nobel-prize winners and up-and-coming authors, to artists and theatre people, to philosophers and people enjoying a literary debate - to all those, in short, to whom literature is more than just pleasant passtime. It's not just authors from around the world, however, but especially the audiences who love the accommodating atmosphere, the stimulating climate and the sophisticated literary programme in the beautifully restaurated late Classicist edifice by the Alster lake.

Conceived in 1985 by some of Hamburg's literary enthusiasts, the Literaturhaus has quickly become the centre of the Hanseatic city's literary life and has achieved a reputation that attracts attention far beyond the city walls. Well over a hundred readings, panel discussions, discussion rounds and literary soirees are being organised by the house every year. Moreover, there are various series of literary events like the 'Philosophical Café', 'Town*Country*Literature', 'Funny Somehow' and 'Mixed Doubles', in addition to literary entertainment with the 'Schischischo' and festivals like the 'Nordic Literature Days' that take place over several days and build a literary bridge to the neighbouring Scandinavic countries every two years.

The Literaturhaus also looks after potential future readers: with its monthly series 'fun with books', for example, and the 'sta*-club - pupils meet authors' where well-known German authors like Peter Rühmkorf or Siegfried Lenz answer young readers' questions, rap poets Timo Brunke and Bas Böttcher perform their poetry or young authors read from their debut works. And there's the 'Writing Lab' for  young people who've got the first pages of a novel slumbering in their desk drawers and who dream about becoming an author. Our new series 'Thought Flier - Philosophising with Children' provides a space for the young ones to develop their own thoughts on life's 'big' questions.

With its magnificent festival room and the salons on the first floor, with the mouth-watering non-literary fare on offer, the little reading café, the bar and the excellently stocked bookshop, the Literaturhaus is a much frequented cultural oasis where you just can't help feeling well at ease.