Frank Schätzing: “Cologne could be a little New York”

Even if you’ve never set foot in Cologne, you probably carry an image of the Dom, the city’s iconic cathedral, in your mind. But few have come to know this landmark as intimately as Frank Schätzing: for his debut “Death and the Devil”, he was guided by master builder Arnold Wolff through the most remote corners of the sacred monument. “The cathedral is a universe of its own,” Schätzing has said ever since. A universe, and at the same time the stage for a long struggle for power between Cologne’s patricians and its archbishop. The early history of this struggle would later form the backdrop for his medieval novel about the cathedral’s master builder Jacop.

The essence of Cologne: openness, warmth, a welcoming spirit

Three more crime novels followed, with Cologne as the canvas for their stories. Only with “The Swarm” in 2004 did Schätzing’s stories branch out across the globe. The reason, says the Cologne native, is simple: “You save time when you know the setting.” And he knows this city like few others. After studying communications at the Westdeutsche Akademie für Kommunikation, Schätzing spent years in Cologne’s advertising world and its international agencies – a fixture in the media world of a city that thrives on its creatives.

Although he wouldn’t describe his relationship with Cologne as sentimental, he has never felt the urge to leave. He has plenty of reasons why: “Openness, warmth, a genuine way of connecting – in that we’re second to none,” he says. Sometimes, though, he wishes the city would show greater ambition: “I love Cologne for what it could be, and it could be a little New York.”

Frank Schätzing enjoys running with the skyline in view

Cologne has more to offer than its cultural scene, he says: “I love the Rhine. And the Südstadt quarter. Jogging along the Poller meadows at dusk, when the barges drift by like black shadows on silver, with the skyline in sight – that’s something.” For years, locals spotted Schätzing writing in cafés; his favourite was Frau Mahér in the Südstadt, then still called Wippn’bk. These days, he prefers to settle into his office. “That’s my adventure playground, where creativity can unfold in any direction.”

It was there that he completed “Heroes“, the second part of his Jacop trilogy. Many of its scenes are set in historic England. Research, he says, mostly means “reading, reading, reading.” But when it came to one chapter set in Windsor’s ancient oak forest, reading wasn’t enough. “You have to be there to feel the magic.”

Frank Schätzing takes a stand against right-wing violence

So, what does heroism mean to him? For Schätzing, it’s the small acts that count: “It’s about tolerance, the courage to stand up for yourself and others, and an open mindset. Thinking ahead and shaping the future instead of howling at the moon with the populists, wanting everything the way it used to be.”

To keep those populists from gaining ground, the author has long been involved in Cologne’s “Arsch huh, Zäng ussenander” (stand up and speak out) campaign against right-wing violence. While cultural initiatives alone won’t stop extremists, he believes they can encourage people “to stand up to those thugs.” “That’s the power of art – if it sparks something in just one person, it’s already worth it.”

After “Heroes”, there will be a third and final part of the Jacop trilogy, Schätzing reveals: “At some point in the next three years, if all goes well.” And yes, Cologne will once again set the stage. Where else could it be?