To mark what would have been the 90th birthday of author Christine Nöstlinger on October 13, 2026, Austrian media and cultural institutions are launching a wide-reaching tribute. The program includes a new documentary, a major museum exhibition, and the release of her complete lyrical works, honoring a pioneer of children’s literature who died in 2018.
Exhibition at the Literature Museum
The Austrian National Library’s Literature Museum is hosting a new foyer exhibition titled Flying Cats in Public Housing. Christine Nöstlinger – Pioneer of Children's Literature,
which offers a deep dive into the author’s legacy. Running from October 8, 2026, until February 13, 2027, the display features previously unseen manuscripts, drawings, and photographs from Nöstlinger’s estate, which was integrated into the library’s collections in 2025.
Curator Arnhilt Inguglia-Höfle opened the show with a discussion featuring the author’s daughter, Christiana Nöstlinger, and writer Lilly Axster, who received the Christine Nöstlinger Prize in 2023. Actor Claudia Kottal also contributed by performing readings of selected texts from the author’s extensive bibliography.
Documentary and Television Coverage
The film will be featured as part of the “kulturMONTAG” broadcast on October 12, 2026, presented by Peter Schneeberger.
Television viewers will see extensive coverage across ORF channels. On October 11, the programming includes the 1998 children’s crime film Die 3 Posträuber,
directed by Andreas Prochaska, which follows two rival children’s gangs. This is followed by the 2004 film Villa Henriette,
directed by Peter Payer, in which Nöstlinger herself makes a small cameo appearance as the story follows twelve-year-old Marie attempting to save her “talking” house from auction.
Residenz Verlag Releases Complete Dialect Poetry Volume
The Residenz Verlag is commemorating the anniversary with the release of I don't really find my way around this world. The Complete Lyrical Works,
a 320-page volume collecting Nöstlinger’s dialect poetry. Priced at 28 euros, the collection features previously unpublished illustrations by the author. Her work with dialect poetry began in the 1970s, and in 1983, composer Kurt Schwertsik adapted several of these texts into musical chansons.
At the Rabenhof Theater in Vienna, Stefanie Sargnagel and Gerald Votava are performing a multi-part tribute titled Nöstlinger. Eine Hommage.
The production features musical accompaniment by Katarina Maria Trenk. According to the event announcement, the evening aims to make Nöstlinger’s texts, which explore the intersection of childhood, power, and social reality, accessible as a humorous and resistant measurement of life. Further performances are scheduled for October 19, November 16, and January 13.
Radio Programming Across Ö1
The radio station Ö1 has dedicated a week of programming to the author’s life and work. Highlights include a “Menschenbilderbroadcast on October 11, which was originally recorded in 1996 for Nöstlinger’s 60th birthday. On her actual birthday, October 13, the
Tonspurenprogram will feature a portrait titled
You have to beat that girl extra hard to shut her up!”
Nöstlinger’s literary career began in 1970 with Die feuerrote Friederike,
a debut that established her as one of the most important German-language authors for young readers. With over 150 books written, she became known for her humor, social criticism, and commitment to the rights of children. Her 1973 autobiographical novel Maikäfer, flieg!
was among the first to address the National Socialist era within children’s literature. Outside of the museum and media tributes, the KiJuBu festival in St. Pölten will host readings and workshops from November 8 to 13 to help audiences rediscover her work.