Bestselling author Dörte Hansen returns to the Blue Sofa in Gütersloh to present her new novel “Broder.” Following the tremendous success of her 2019 reading in the Skylobby at Theater Gütersloh, this year's event will take place in the theater's main auditorium on November 11.
Following her bestselling novels “Zur See” (“To the Sea”), “Mittagsstunde” (“Midday Hour”), and, above all, “Altes Land” (“This House Is Mine”), Hansen's new novel “Broder” will be published by Penguin Verlag on September 9. In it, she writes with remarkable clarity about a world in which faith in perpetual growth is encountering its limits and the question of humanity's responsibility toward creation is becoming increasingly urgent.
The story centers on twin brothers Broder and Henning Bahnsen. While Henning takes over the family's dairy farm and transforms it into a large-scale, modern operation, Broder leaves home, becomes a veterinarian, and returns only many years later. As he begins caring for his brother's livestock, family conflicts, economic pressures, and ethical questions increasingly come to the fore.
The event at a glance:
Blue Sofa featuring bestselling author Dörte Hansen
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
Theater Gütersloh
Tickets: €15
Tickets are available through the Theater Gütersloh website. All proceeds will benefit the theater's youth programs.
Born in Husum in 1964, Dörte Hansen studied linguistics and went on to work as an editor and writer for Germany's public broadcaster NDR in both radio and print journalism. Her debut novel “Altes Land” was named the German independent booksellers' favorite book of the year in 2015. Her second novel, “Mittagsstunde” (2018), received the Rheingau Literature Prize and the Grimmelshausen Literature Prize. Her critically acclaimed novel “Zur See” followed in 2022. Celebrated by readers and critics alike, all of her books have become DER SPIEGEL year-end bestsellers. Dörte Hansen lives with her family in North Frisia.
The Blue Sofa in Gütersloh adds a distinctive highlight to the city's cultural calendar by bringing one of the leading contemporary authors writing in German to Gütersloh.
About the Blue Sofa
The Blue Sofa is one of the longest-running and most successful literary event formats in the German-speaking world and is part of Bertelsmann's “Culture@Bertelsmann” activities. These activities reflect Bertelsmann's commitment to culture and contribute to preserving Europe's cultural heritage through exhibitions, events, readings, and concerts. The Blue Sofa Gütersloh is made possible through Bertelsmann's cultural sponsorship. Theater Gütersloh is the event organizer. All proceeds from the events benefit the theater.
About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services, and education company with more than 75,000 employees that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group, and Bertelsmann Investments. The company generated revenues of €19 billion in the 2025 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world.
