75th anniversary: Thanks to all hosts!
Game Designer Anja Wrede: 25 Years as a Guest of the Dietrich Family
By Anja Wrede
The Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg is one of the most important events of the year for me. My name is Anja Wrede. I am an educator and work, among other things, as a game designer: I develop analogue games. The topic of play is also at the center of my professional life outside of this.
A Nuremberg roof over my head
My conversations at the fair mainly revolve around games for which I am looking for a publisher or have already found one. The Spielwarenmesse is extremely valuable for me to gather information and to engage in conversations with some of the incredibly many and diverse people there. I attended Spielwarenmesse for the first time in 1996. When I had to look for new accommodation for the 2001 fair, I contacted the Nuremberg tourist information office. At that time, they collected room requests and arranged them with private individuals who were willing to open their homes to trade fair guests. I then received a letter with exactly one contact address. And that's how I ended up with the Dietrich family. Back then, the Dietrichs were still living as a family of four plus a cat under one roof. Their first child had just moved out, so they did what many Nuremberg residents do during the fair: rent out a room to trade fair guests and present themselves as friendly and welcoming hosts.
A creative twist of fate
I was the lucky one who got to be a guest: There was (and still is!) the best breakfast in the world, always friendly and attentive words, lots of carefully crafted Janosch figures, and an incredible number of knitting and sewing projects. As a creative person, I found myself (and still do) in a very creative and warm-hearted household. The accommodation was conveniently located in Langwasser. Anyone familiar with Nuremberg knows what that means in relation to the exhibition center: a morning walk! A dose of fresh air before the fair determines the day. In some cold fair years, I wore my rain pants over my smart trade fair outfit; now and then the Dietrichs lent me an umbrella. Newspaper articles about the fair were set aside and discussed together, the games I brought as gifts were welcomed into the family circle, and lovingly crafted handiwork found its way into my suitcase to travel home with me.
Children grow up to become adults
A few years later (to be precise, in 2006, according to Mrs. Dietrich’s receipt book), my phone rang. It must have been in November, because I always make my inquiry for the following year at the end of November. Mrs. Dietrich was on the line: “Ms. Wrede, our second child has moved out—if you know someone who might want to rent the second room …?” That’s how it happened that from then on my colleague Christoph Cantzler also stayed with the Dietrichs and, just like me, felt very much at home. A few years later, the third child moved out, and as a result, three creative guests lived under the Dietrichs’ roof.
Lives change
Time went by and, as it is in life, we grew older together. Then there was another call from Mrs. Dietrich: “Ms. Wrede, we are moving to a smaller apartment …” I congratulated her, because I know how difficult changes can be. Even as I listened, I thought to myself that Nuremberg would now change for me as well. But she continued: “… and we will have a guest room. Unfortunately, only one, so we only have space for one guest. But since you have been coming to us for so long, we wanted to ask you first.” And? Did I accept? Of course. And so, in 2026, I will not only have been staying with the Dietrichs for 25 years, but I will also have moved with them. By the way, still within Langwasser. So in 2026, I can still walk to the fair. And maybe borrow an umbrella again. In any case, I am already looking forward to seeing the Dietrichs again before the fair.
Shortly before the Spielwarenmesse, the selection of accommodations is no longer as extensive. However, with a bit of flexibility, it is still possible to find a bed in private rooms or hotels. The Spielwarenmesse ticket includes free travel throughout the entire VGN network area. This complimentary transport expands the options for finding affordable accommodation.
New Game Releases 2026
It is always an exciting moment for creative minds when their new games are presented by publishers at the Spielwarenmesse. "Leaf it!" by Anja Wrede and Christoph Cantzler will be released by Edition Spielwiese (Hall 10.1, A-08), and "Kullerwürfel" by Schmidt Spiele (Hall 10.1, A-02, A-04, C-07). Additional new games by Anja Wrede will be presented by the publishers Magellan (Hall 10.0, G-14) and Moses (Hall 10.0, H-04A).
About the author
Anja Wrede holds a degree in education and is a game designer. Since 1995, she has published more than 200 games with various publishers in Germany and abroad. For many years, she has been giving workshops and lectures on the topics of play, playing, and game development. On her blog and Instagram, she shares insights into her professional life and her creative and educational projects.
