Graphic Novel presentation: Tobi Dahmen

Tobi Dahmen was born in Germany and has lived in Utrecht since 2008. He works as an illustrator and graphic novelist. In 2018, his award-winning graphic novel Fietsmod was published in the Netherlands. In 2024, he published his substantial graphic novel Columbusstraße: A Family History 1935–1945 in Germany, which was also released in the Netherlands this year by publisher Scratch.

At Crossing Border, Dahmen will present excerpts from the book and talk about its creation, as well as the motivation behind the project.

About Columbus Street

“Dad, what was it actually like for you during the war?”
“How could this have happened?”

This question, posed by Tobi Dahmen to his father, marked the beginning of a long journey: documenting his family's wartime past. This graphic novel is based on years of research into historical documents and personal testimonies from family members. Dahmen paints a picture of a wartime history that extends far beyond the personal. Through meticulous research and great sensitivity, he has created a work of significant historical relevance.

Rolling Stone called it “the best and most important graphic novel of the year,” while Dutch newspaper NRC awarded it five stars, describing it as “extraordinary.”