Chernobyl 40th anniversary marked by manga release and German study

To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Carlsen Verlag has begun publishing a manga series titled "Chernobyl – A Chronicle of the Future." Illustrated by Yuta Kumagai, the first volume appears on July 28, with subsequent volumes scheduled for later dates. The books dramatise the personal experiences of those affected, drawing on the work of Belarusian journalist Svetlana Alexievich, whose testimonies have previously earned her the German Book Trade Peace Prize.

A separate German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) study examined how different generations in Germany recall the accident. Older respondents who lived through the event recall fears of contaminated food, while younger people’s memories are shaped by media portrayals. BfS President Inge Paulini highlighted the need for transparent communication and noted that Germany’s emergency preparedness for nuclear incidents abroad has improved since 1986.