The Festival of German-Language Literature () is a literary event which takes place annually in Klagenfurt, Austria. During this major literary festival which lasts for several days a number of awards are given, the major one being the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize, first awarded in 1977 and one of the most important awards for literature in the German language.

History

In the mid seventies, the journalist and writer Humbert Fink and the chairman of the Austrian Radio and TV (ORF) studio in

Carinthia Carinthia ( ; ; ) is the southernmost and least densely populated States of Austria, Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The Lake Wolayer is a mountain lake on the Carinthian side of the Carnic Main ...

at that time, Ernst Willner, decided to establish a literary competition based on an event held by

Gruppe 47 Gruppe 47 (Group 47) was a group of participants in German writers' meetings, invited by Hans Werner Richter between 1947 and 1967. The meetings served the dual goals of literary criticism as well as the promotion of young, unknown authors. In a ...

. They were able to enlist Marcel Reich-Ranicki amongst others onto the original jury. The result was the Festival of German-Language Literature, which has taken place annually since 1977 and is televised live by ORF.

The Ingeborg Bachmann Prize

The main prize of the Festival is given in memory of

Ingeborg Bachmann Ingeborg Bachmann (; 25 June 1926 – 17 October 1973) was an Austrian poet and author. She is regarded as one of the major voices of German-language literature in the 20th century. In 1963, she was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature b ...

(25 June 1926 – 17 October 1973), one of the most distinguished Austrian writers. The prize winner is determined during a three-day reading event in which the invited candidates present their literary contributions, which have to be unpublished, to the nine-member professional jury and the public. Each presentation is about 25 minutes long and the original language of these contributions must be German. A moderator presents and guides the readings and the discussions of the jury and the writers have to convince both the jury and the public of the quality of their contributions. In 2008, the jury was reduced to seven members, the competing writers from eighteen to fourteen. Since 2006, the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize has been endowed with 25,000 EUR.

Other prizes

Several other literature prizes are awarded during the Festival, in total usually three to five awards. Over the years, additional sponsored prizes have been awarded: *

Deutschlandfunk Deutschlandfunk (DLF, ''Broadcast Germany'') is a public-broadcasting radio station in Germany, concentrating on news and current affairs. It is one of the four national radio channels produced by Deutschlandradio. History Broadcasting in t ...

Prize (EUR 12,500) * Jury Prize, aka Kelag-Prize (since 2000, EUR 10,000) * 3sat Prize (given by

3sat 3sat (, ''Dreisat'') is a free-to-air German-language public service television channel. It is a generalist channel with a cultural focus and is jointly operated by public broadcasters from Germany ( ZDF, ARD), Austria ( ORF) and Switzerlan ...

, EUR 7,500) * BKS Bank Audience Prize (since 2002, EUR 7,000) * Ernst Willner Prize (EUR 7,000) * Editor's special prize

Prize winners

Sharon Dodua Otoo - Bachmannpreisgewinnerin 2016

* 2024 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: : ''Der Tag, an dem meine Mutter verrückt wurde'' * 2023 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: : ''Er putzt'' * 2022 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: : ''Wechselkröte'' *:* Deutschlandfunk Prize: : ''Einige Landesgrenzen weiter östlich, von hier aus gesehen'' *:* Kelag Prize: : ''Im Falle des Druckabfalls'' *:* 3sat Prize: : ''Liste der Dinge, die nicht so sind, wie sie sein sollten'' *:* BKS Prize of the Audience: : ''Staublunge'' * 2021 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Nava Ebrahimi: ''Der Cousin'' *:* Deutschlandfunk Prize: : ''Gewässer im Ziplock'' *:* Kelag Prize: : ''Morgen wache ich auf und dann beginnt das Leben'' *:* 3sat Prize: : ''Mein Freund am See'' *:* BKS Prize of the Audience: Necati Öziri * 2020 Festival (virtual) *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Helga Schubert: ''Vom Aufstehen'' *:* Deutschlandfunk Prize: Lisa Krusche: ''Für bestimmte Welten kämpfen und gegen andere'' *:* Kelag Prize: Egon Christian Leitner: ''Immer im Krieg'' *:* 3sat Prize:

Laura Freudenthaler Laura Freudenthaler (born 1984, Salzburg) is an Austrian writer. She studied German language and literature at the University of Vienna. Freudenthaler published a book of short stories titled ''Der Schädel der Madeleine'' in 2014. She has also pu ...

: ''Der heißeste Sommer'' *:* BKS Prize of the Audience: Lydia Haider: ''Der große Gruß '' * 2019 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Birgit Birnbacher: ''Der Schrank'' *:* Deutschlandfunk Prize: Leander Fischer: ''Nymphenverzeichnis Muster Nummer eins Goldkopf'' *:* Kelag Prize: Julia Jost: ''Unweit vom Schakaltal'' *:* 3sat Prize: Yannic Han Biao Federer: ''Kenn ich nicht'' *:* BKS Prize of the Audience:

Ronya Othmann Ronja Richardsdotter Stanley (formerly Gullichsen; born 9 November 1991), known by their stage names Ronya and New Ro, is a Finnish-British singer-songwriter. Life and career Ronya was born in Siuntio, Finland. They came to the fore in 2011 wi ...

: ''Vierundsiebzig'' * 2018 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize:

Tanya Malyarchuk Tetiana "Tania" Volodymyrivna Maliarchuk (, , born 1983 in Ivano-Frankivsk Ivano-Frankivsk (, ), formerly Stanyslaviv, Stanislav and Stanisławów, is a city in western Ukraine. It serves as the administrative centre of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblas ...

: ''Frösche im Meer'' *:* Deutschlandfunk Prize: Bov Bjerg: ''SERPENTINEN'' *:* Kelag Prize:

Özlem Özgül Dündar Özlem Özgül Dündar (born 1983 in Solingen, Germany) is a German poet, essayist, translator, and novelist. Personal life Dündar was born in Solingen, Germany. She attended the University of Wuppertal and studied philosophy and literature the ...

: ''und ich brenne'' *:* 3sat Prize: Anna Stern: ''Warten auf Ava'' *:* BKS Prize of the Audience:

Raphaela Edelbauer 708 Raphaela is a minor planet orbiting the Sun. Observations performed at the Palmer Divide Observatory in Colorado Springs, Colorado during 2007 produced a light curve with a period of 20.918 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.45 ± 0.02 ...

: ''Das Loch'' *2017 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize:

Ferdinand Schmalz Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "courage" or "ready, prepared" related to Old High German "to risk, ventu ...

: ''mein lieblingstier heißt winter'' *:* Deutschlandfunk Prize: John Wray: ''Madrigal'' *:* Kelag Prize:

Eckhart Nickel Eckhart Nickel (born 1966) is a German author and journalist. Nickel was born in Frankfurt am Main.Gianna Molinari: ''Loses Mappe'' *:* BKS Prize of the Audience: Karin Peschka: ''Wiener Kindl'' * 2016 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Sharon Dodua Otoo, ''Herr Gröttrup setzt sich hin'' *:* Kelag Prize: , ''Los Alamos ist winzig'' *:* 3sat Prize: , ''WALTER NOWAK BLEIBT LIEGEN'' *:* BKS Prize of the Audience: Stefanie Sargnagel, ''Penne vom Kika'' * 2015 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Nora Gomringer, ''Recherche'' *:* Kelag Prize: , ''Das Bein'' *:* 3sat Prize: , ''Das primäre Gefühl der Schuldlosigkeit'' *:* BKS Prize of the Audience: , ''Das Bein'' * 2014 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: , ''Wir waren niemals hier'' *:* Kelag Prize: , ''Simeliberg'' *:* 3sat Prize: Senthuran Varatharajah, ''Vor der Zunahme der Zeichen'' *:* Ernst Willner Prize: , ''DOWN DOWN DOWN To The Queen Of Chinatown'' *:* Prize of the Audience: , ''Ujjayi'' * 2013 Festival''Petrowskaja gewinnt Bachmannpreis''
kaernten.orf.at, 7 July 2013 *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Katja Petrowskaja, '' Vielleicht Esther'' *:* Kelag Prize: Verena Güntner, ''Es bringen'' *:* 3sat Prize: Benjamin Maack, ''„Wie man einen Käfer richtig fängt“ by Joachim Kaltenbach'' *:* Ernst Willner Prize: Heinz Helle, ''Wir sind schön'' *:* Prize of the Audience: Nadine Kegele, ''Scherben schlucken'' * 2012 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Olga Martynowa for ''Ich werde sagen: ‚Hi!‘'' *:* Kelag Prize:

Matthias Nawrat Matthias Nawrat (born 1979 in Opole) is a German writer. Life Matthias Nawrat was born in Opole in Poland. He moved with his family in 1989 to Bamberg. From 2000 to 2007, he studied Biology at Heidelberg and Freiburg im Breisgau. Beginning in ...

for ''Unternehmer'' *:* 3sat Prize: Lisa Kränzler for ''Willste abhauen'' *:* Ernst Willner Prize: Inger-Maria Mahlke *:* Prize of the Audience: Cornelia Travnicek for ''Junge Hunde'' * 2011 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Maja Haderlap for ''Im Kessel'' *:* Kelag Prize: Steffen Popp for ''Spur einer Dorfgeschichte'' *:* 3sat Prize: Nina Bußmann for ''Große Ferien'' *:* Ernst Willner Prize: Leif Randt for ''Schimmernder Dunst über CobyCounty'' *:* Prize of the Audience: Thomas Klupp for ''9to5 Hardcore'' * 2010 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Peter Wawerzinek for ''Rabenliebe'' *:* Kelag Prize: Dorothee Elmiger for ''Einladung an die Waghalsigen'' *:* 3sat Prize: Judith Zander for ''Dinge, die wir heute sagten'' *:* Ernst Willner Prize: Aleks Scholz for ''Google Earth'' *:* Prize of the Audience: Peter Wawerzinek for ''Rabenliebe'' * 2009 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Jens Petersen for ''Bis dass der Tod'' *:* Kelag Prize: Ralf Bönt for ''Der Fotoeffekt'' *:* 3sat Prize: Gregor Sander for ''Winterfisch'' *:* Ernst Willner Prize: Katharina Born for ''Fifty Fifty'' *:* Prize of the Audience: Karsten Krampitz for ''Heimgehen'' * 2008 Festival *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize: Tilman Rammstedt for ''Der Kaiser von China]'' *:* Telekom Austria Prize: Markus Orths: ''Das Zimmermädchen'' *:* 3sat Prize: Patrick Findeis for ''Kein schöner Land'' *:* Ernst Willner Prize: Clemens J. Setz for ''Die Waage'' *:* Prize of the Audience: Tilman Rammstedt for ''Der Kaiser von China'' *2007 *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize:

Lutz Seiler Lutz Seiler (born 8 June 1963 in Gera, Thuringia) is a German poet and novelist. Considered one of the most important German poets living today, he is the author of numerous books of poetry, prose, and essays, and gained national attention for h ...

for ''Turksib'' *:* Telekom Austria Prize: Thomas Stangl for ''Ohne Titel ohne Ende'' *:* 3sat Prize: PeterLicht for ''Die Geschichte meiner Einschätzung am Anfang des dritten Jahrtausends'' *:* Ernst Willner Prize: Jan Böttcher for ''Freundwärts'' *:* Prize of the Audience: PeterLicht for ''Die Geschichte meiner Einschätzung am Anfang des dritten Jahrtausends'' *2006 *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize:

Kathrin Passig Kathrin Passig (born 4 June 1970) is a German author. Biography Passig was born in 1970 in Deggendorf, a small town in Lower Bavaria. She is editor and programmer of the blog "Riesenmaschine" which received the Grimme Online Award 2006, aw ...

: ''Sie befinden sich hier'' *:* Telekom Austria Prize: Bodo Hell for ''Stadt Land Berg'' *:* 3sat Prize:

Norbert Scheuer Norbert Scheuer (born December 16, 1951, in Prüm, West Eifel, Westeifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Rheinland-Palatinate) is a German author. He earns a living as an IT system programmer for Deutsche Telekom and now lives in Keldenich, Kall, North Rhi ...

for ''Überm Rauschen'' *:* Ernst Willner Prize:

Angelika Overath Angelika Overath (born 17 July 1957 in Karlsruhe) is a German author and journalist. Overath studied German literature, history, Italian Studies, and cultural studies at the University of Tübingen and wrote a PhD thesis, PhD-thesis in 1986 about ...

for ''Das Aquarium'' *:* Prize of the Audience: Kathrin Passig: ''Sie befinden sich hier'' *2005 *:* Ingeborg Bachmann Prize:

Thomas Lang Thomas Lang (; born 5 August 1967) is an Austrian drummer. He is the founding member of the Los Angeles–based progressive metal, progressive/avant garde metal band stOrk and is known for his international session work on a wide variety of ge ...

: ''Am Seil'' *:* Telekom Austria Prize: Julia Schoch for ''Der Ritt durch den Feind'' *:* 3sat Prize: Anne Weber for ''Auszug'' *:* Ernst Willner Prize: Natalie Balkow for ''Oben, wo nichts mehr ist'' *:* Prize of the Audience:

Saša Stanišić Saša Stanišić ( sr-cyr, Саша Станишић; born 7 March 1978) is a Bosnian-German writer. Biography He was born in Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina as the son of a Bosniaks, Bosniak mother and a Serbs, Serb father. In the spring o ...

for ''Was wir im Keller spielen …'' *2004

Uwe Tellkamp Uwe Tellkamp (; born 28 October 1968) is a German writer and physician. He practised medicine until 2004. Before the fall of communism, he was enlisted in the National People's Army as a tank commander and imprisoned when he refused to break up ...

: ''Der Schlaf in den Uhren'' *2003 Inka Parei: Excerpts from the novel ''Was Dunkelheit war'' *2002

Peter Glaser Peter Edward Glaser (September 5, 1923 – May 29, 2014) was a Czechoslovakian-born American scientist and aerospace engineer. He served as Vice President, Advanced Technology (1985–94), was employed at Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, MA ( ...

: ''Geschichte von Nichts'' *2001

Michael Lentz Michael Lentz (born 1964) is a German author, musician, and performer of experimental texts and sound poetry. Life Lentz was born in Düren. His father (1927–2014) was city manager () of Düren. Lentz completed his ''Abitur'' at the in 1983 ...

: ''Muttersterben'' *2000 Georg Klein: Excerpt from a long work of prose *1999

Terézia Mora Terézia Mora (; born 5 February 1971) is a German Hungarian writer, screenwriter and translator. Early life and education Terézia Mora was born in Sopron, Hungary, to a family with German roots and grew up bilingual. She moved to Germany a ...

: ''Der Fall Ophelia'' *1998

Sibylle Lewitscharoff Sibylle Lewitscharoff (; 16 April 1954 – 13 May 2023) was a German author. She first wrote in her spare time as a bookkeeper, quitting after her first novel, ''Pong'', appeared in 1998. ''Pong'' was successful with critics and the public, ea ...

: ''PONG.'' *1997 Norbert Niemann: ''Wie man's nimmt'' *1996 Jan Peter Bremer: ''Der Fürst sprich'' **Bertelsmann literature prize:

Lydia Mischkulnig Lydia Mischkulnig (* 2 August 1963 in Klagenfurt) is an Austrian writer living in Vienna. The winner of the Bertelsmann-Literaturpreis writes mainly novels, narratives and radio plays. Live Mischkulnig studied from 1981 onwards scenic design ...

for Bande, **Carinthia Prize: for Dickicht Anpassung. **Ernst Wilner Prize:

Felicitas Hoppe Felicitas Hoppe (born 22 December 1960) is a German writer. She received the Georg Büchner Prize in 2012. Biography Early years Felicitas Hoppe was born in Hamelin, Lower Saxony, and grew up there. After her Abitur she studied literature, ...

for Das Richtfest. **3sat Stipendium: for MOI. *1995 Franzobel: ''Die Krautflut'' *1994 Reto Hänny: ''Guai'' **

Prize: Raoul Schrott: ''Ludwig Höhnel – Totenheft'' ** 3sat Award: Doron Rabinovici: ''Mullemann'' *1993 Kurt Drawert: "Haus ohne Menschen. Ein Zustand" *1992

Alissa Walser Alissa Walser (born 1961) is a German writer, translator, and artist. She was born in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance. Her father is the German writer Martin Walser. She is known for her short stories, plays, novels, and translations. Many o ...

: "Geschenkt" *1991

Emine Sevgi Özdamar Emine Sevgi Özdamar (born 10 August 1946) is a writer, director, and actress of Turkish origin who has lived and worked in Germany since 1976. Özdamar's art is distinctive in that it is influenced by her life experiences, which straddle the cou ...

: "Das Leben ist eine Karawanserei" *1990 Birgit Vanderbeke: "Das Muschelessen" *1989

Wolfgang Hilbig Wolfgang Hilbig (31 August 1941 2 June 2007) was a German writer and poet. Life Wolfgang Hilbig was born in Meuselwitz, Germany. His grandfather had emigrated from Biłgoraj (Congress Poland, Russian Empire) before the First World War. In 194 ...

: "Eine Übertragung" *1988 Angela Krauß: "Der Dienst" *1987 Uwe Saeger: "Ohne Behinderung, ohne falsche Bewegung" *1986 Katja Lange-Müller: "Kaspar Mauser – Die Feigheit vorm Freund" *1985 Hermann Burger: "Die Wasserfallfinsternis von

Bad Gastein Bad Gastein ( is a spa town in the St. Johann im Pongau District. Picturesquely situated in a high valley of the Hohe Tauern mountain range, it is known for the Gastein waterfall and a variety of grand hotel buildings. Geography Bad Gastein i ...

" *1984

Erica Pedretti Erica Pedretti (; 25 February 1930 – 14 July 2022) was a Swiss author and artist. Pedretti has published texts since 1970, and since 1976 she has worked as an artist, especially as a sculptor. In 1984, Pedretti received the Ingeborg Bachmann ...

: "Das Modell und sein Maler" ** Award: Thomas Strittmatter: "Der Schwarzwursthammer" *1983

Friederike Roth Friederike Roth (born 6 April 1948) is a German writer. She is especially active as a playwright. Roth was born in Sindelfingen Sindelfingen ( Swabian: ''Sendlfenga'') is a city in Baden-Württemberg in south Germany. It lies near Stuttgart at ...

: From "Das Buch des Lebens" *1982

Jürg Amann Jürg Amann (born in Winterthur on 2 July 1947; died on 5 May 2013, in Zurich) was a Swiss author and dramatist. He has written radio plays, a biography of Robert Walser (writer), Robert Walser, and other works. Awards *1982 Ingeborg Bachmann Pr ...

: "Rondo" ** Federation of Austrian Industry Prize: Einar Schleef: ''Wittenbergplatz'' *1981 Urs Jaeggi: ''Ruth'' *1980 Sten Nadolny: ''Kopenhagen 1801'' *1979 Gert Hofmann: ''Die Fistelstimme'' ** Award: : ''Apokalypso'' *1978

Ulrich Plenzdorf Ulrich Plenzdorf (; 26 October 1934 – 9 August 2007) was a German author and dramatist. Life Born in Berlin, Plenzdorf studied Philosophy in Leipzig, but graduated with a degree in film. He found work at DEFA. He became famous in both East Ge ...

: ''kein runter kein fern'' *1977 Gert Jonke: ''Erster Entwurf zum Beginn einer sehr langen Erzählung''

References

External links

*
Article on the festival (2010)
in the Austrian newspaper

Der Standard ''Der Standard'' () is an Austrian daily newspaper published in Vienna. It is considered a newspaper of record for Austria. History and profile ''Der Standard'' was founded by Oscar Bronner as a financial newspaper and published its first editio ...

. {{Authority control Austrian literary awards German-language literature Awards established in 1977 1977 establishments in Austria * Events in Klagenfurt