Six Book Prize finalists Authors and jurors explain

Sep 8

Schück presents the six shortlisted novels alphabetically through complete ZDF aspekte films, author interviews and juror comments. Bazyar discusses Die Lücken, the fictional Heimesbach's relationship to Hermeskeil, refugee-family experience and suppressed Nazi history; Maha El Hissy praises its reworking of the Heimat novel. Gänsler explains Orca's friendship, ambition and activist-group dynamics, with Theresa Donner praising its mediated relationships and language. Schück announces Gordeev's forthcoming aspekte debut prize; Gordeev describes siblings in Berlin and Moscow, mortality and grotesque escape from present-day dread, while Adam Soboczynski praises the novel's breadth. Hirschl discusses Schleifen's pursuit of a perfect language and questions whether perfection is desirable; Emily Grunert praises its absurdity and invention. Mädler explains Selbstregulierung des Herzens, GDR reform hopes, art and emotional adjustment; Jan Ehlert praises its quiet dissidents. Vowinckel explains Anton und Alma's contrasting perspectives and the intrusion of October 7 into the love story, while rejecting a required message; Stefanie Kreuzer praises its shifting distance and social reflection. Schück closes by recommending the shortlist and longlist.

The jury selected six novels for the 2026 German Book Prize final: Shida Bazyar's Die Lücken, Franziska Gänsler's Orca, Valeria Gordeev's Die Zikade entschlüpft ihrer goldglänzenden Hülle, Elias Hirschl's Schleifen, Peggy Mädler's Selbstregulierung des Herzens and Dana Vowinckel's Anton und Alma. The October 5 ceremony retrospectively presents the selection, its literary range and author and juror explanations. Hartwig and Guggolz praise the field; Geißler describes deliberation across different criteria. This selection is distinct from the later award to Bazyar.