The author Anne Hahn on 31 October 2026 her residency as Magdeburg’s city writer has ended. The Magdeburg-born author had served as the state capital’s 14th city writer since 1 April 2026 According to the city administration, the scholarship associated with the title ended as scheduled on the last day of October. Hahn summed up her time there as “99.9 per cent positive”, according to Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk.
The city writer scholarship of According to the City of Magdeburg has been awarded in its current form since 2013. It includes a working period from 1 April to 31 October, a monthly grant and rent-free accommodation. Hahn was nominated in November 2025 by a jury chaired by Regina-Dolores Stieler-Hinz, Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Culture. The programme aims to give writers the opportunity to reflect in literary form on the city’s history and present, and to spark debate.
Hahn used the residency to research a novel about the political and social upheavals of 1989 and places of remembrance in Magdeburg. She presented extracts and essays at readings and discussions, visited archives, spoke with people who witnessed events first-hand and sought exchanges with civil society groups. The themes build on her previous work, in which she has repeatedly explored GDR subcultures, fan culture and individual stories of escape.
No specific publication dates have yet been announced for Hahn’s ongoing project. The city notes that in recent years the city writer residency has repeatedly brought in outside voices to Magdeburg explore issues of local identity and the culture of remembrance. The programme’s cultural policy aim—public engagement with the city’s history and present—remains part of the debate in Magdeburg now that the current term has ended.
This year’s residency ends in line with the programme’s scheduled close on 31 October. Events with Hahn took place at various venues around the city during the residency, including institutions such as the City Library and the Literature House Magdeburg. The city administration said it would provide information about the successor for 2027 in due course. Hahn’s future projects are described as plans; no firm publication dates have yet been announced.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).