Steffen Kopetzky's 'Die Harzreise' Blends History and Hiking

Steffen Kopetzky, a German novelist known for historical fiction, has published a new travelogue titled 'Die Harzreise. Eine Deutschlanderkung' (The Harz Journey: A Germany Exploration). The book recounts his walking tour through the Harz mountain region, following in the footsteps of the 19th-century poet Heinrich Heine. Kopetzky, whose previous novel 'Atom' was set partly in the Harz near Nordhausen, where the Nazi underground rocket factory Mittelwerk and the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp were located, returns to the area with a blend of personal experience and historical reflection. The narrative includes conversations with hoteliers, museum directors, and strangers, as well as encounters with far-right individuals, including a verbal confrontation with neo-Nazis and a later discussion with a member of the AfD party, with whom he agreed that there are too few hiking signs in the Harz. The book also offers practical advice, such as warning against wearing shorts in the Rübeländer stalactite caves. The reportage is described as a journey through time, connecting historical references to the present. The review, written by Jürgen Wittner, questions whether the book will make the list of best books for September 2026. The article also mentions other literary news, including a new novel by Edgar Selge and a list of eight books on fragile masculinity.