Deutschsprachigen Poetry Slam-Meister*innenschaft 2026

From September 23 to 26, approximately 200 spoken-word artists and eloquent speakers from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg to Hanover to compete for the“2026 German-Language Poetry Slam Championships”in both individual and team competitions—with the active participation of the audience, of course.

10,000 spectators are expected to attend the 16 events in total at the Faust Cultural Center, the Herrenhausen Gallery, the Pavillon, and the Theater am Aegi. It’s no coincidence that Europe’s largest live literature festival is taking place in Hanover for the second time. After all, this city on the Leine—which is certainly no stranger to literary exuberance—is home to one of the strongest, most diverse, and best-connected poetry slam scenes in the country—thanks to the “Macht Worte!”initiative, which has been active since 2004 and takes the event to all of the city’s cultural venues—from low-threshold, open-mic stages to sold-out slams at the State Opera.