Adelbert von Chamisso Prize 2009 awarded to Artur Becker
Promotional prizes to María Cecilia Barbetta and Tzveta Sofronieva
Stuttgart, November 12, 2008 – The Adelbert von Chamisso Prize 2009 worth €15,000 goes to the writer Artur Becker. Becker, who was born in Bartoszyce (Masuria, Poland) in 1968, came to Germany in 1985 and now lives in Verden an der Aller (Lower Saxony). The author was awarded the prize for his novels, short fiction and poetry. The jury praised the new shades and tones he has added to the German literary language, while strengthening the close relationship between the German and Polish cultural regions in an impressively poetic way.
The jury especially praised Becker's novels "Kino Muza" (2003), "Das Herz von Chopin" (2006) and "Wodka und Messer. Lied vom Ertrinken" (weissbooks, 2008). In his latest book, Becker tells the gripping, powerful and complex story of a man who grew up near Lake Dadaj in Masuria, where he was traumatized several times, as he returns to his former home after twenty years in Germany. The novel, in which the power of memories dominates the vividly described present, creates an impressive literary monument for the Masurian region and its people.
The Adelbert von Chamisso Promotional Prize 2009 each worth €7,000 go to writer María Cecilia Barbetta, who was born in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 1972 and has lived in Berlin since 1996, and to the poet Tzveta Sofronieva, who was born in Sofia (Bulgaria) in 1963 and now mainly lives in Berlin.
María Cecilia Barbetta is being honored for her first novel "Änderungsschneiderei Los Milagros"(S. Fischer), which was published in 2008. The formally original, linguistically playful, but strictly composed novel set in the Argentine capital and addresses the themes of love, longing, disappointment and despair by focusing on two very different women. Barbetta's text collage provides the great Latin American narrative tradition a new home in German literature.
Tzveta Sofronieva receives a Promotional Prize for her German literary work to date, especially her volume of poetry "Eine Hand voll Wasser" (Unartig Verlag), which was published in 2008. Her accurately conceptualized poems refer to classical material and motifs and are written in the tradition of Southeast European, specifically Bulgarian poetry, which the author transposes into German in an independent and often touching way.
The Robert Bosch Stiftung has awarded the Chamisso Prize since 1985 for exceptional literary achievements by authors writing in German, whose native language or cultural background is non- German. This literature prize, which is being awarded for the 25th time in 2009, is the only one of its kind in Germany.
The Chamisso Prize and the two Promotional Prizes will be presented in Munich on March 5, 2009. The award ceremony will also mark the start of "Chamisso Year 2009" celebrating 25 years of the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize. For one year, most of the award winning authors of the past 25 years will read their texts and speak about their work throughout the German speaking regions of Europe.
Stuttgart, November 12, 2008 – The Adelbert von Chamisso Prize 2009 worth €15,000 goes to the writer Artur Becker. Becker, who was born in Bartoszyce (Masuria, Poland) in 1968, came to Germany in 1985 and now lives in Verden an der Aller (Lower Saxony). The author was awarded the prize for his novels, short fiction and poetry. The jury praised the new shades and tones he has added to the German literary language, while strengthening the close relationship between the German and Polish cultural regions in an impressively poetic way.
The jury especially praised Becker's novels "Kino Muza" (2003), "Das Herz von Chopin" (2006) and "Wodka und Messer. Lied vom Ertrinken" (weissbooks, 2008). In his latest book, Becker tells the gripping, powerful and complex story of a man who grew up near Lake Dadaj in Masuria, where he was traumatized several times, as he returns to his former home after twenty years in Germany. The novel, in which the power of memories dominates the vividly described present, creates an impressive literary monument for the Masurian region and its people.
The Adelbert von Chamisso Promotional Prize 2009 each worth €7,000 go to writer María Cecilia Barbetta, who was born in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 1972 and has lived in Berlin since 1996, and to the poet Tzveta Sofronieva, who was born in Sofia (Bulgaria) in 1963 and now mainly lives in Berlin.
María Cecilia Barbetta is being honored for her first novel "Änderungsschneiderei Los Milagros"(S. Fischer), which was published in 2008. The formally original, linguistically playful, but strictly composed novel set in the Argentine capital and addresses the themes of love, longing, disappointment and despair by focusing on two very different women. Barbetta's text collage provides the great Latin American narrative tradition a new home in German literature.
Tzveta Sofronieva receives a Promotional Prize for her German literary work to date, especially her volume of poetry "Eine Hand voll Wasser" (Unartig Verlag), which was published in 2008. Her accurately conceptualized poems refer to classical material and motifs and are written in the tradition of Southeast European, specifically Bulgarian poetry, which the author transposes into German in an independent and often touching way.
The Robert Bosch Stiftung has awarded the Chamisso Prize since 1985 for exceptional literary achievements by authors writing in German, whose native language or cultural background is non- German. This literature prize, which is being awarded for the 25th time in 2009, is the only one of its kind in Germany.
The Chamisso Prize and the two Promotional Prizes will be presented in Munich on March 5, 2009. The award ceremony will also mark the start of "Chamisso Year 2009" celebrating 25 years of the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize. For one year, most of the award winning authors of the past 25 years will read their texts and speak about their work throughout the German speaking regions of Europe.
The Jury:
- György Dalos, Berlin
- Clemens-Peter Haase, München
- Ina Hartwig, Frankfurt
- Florian Höllerer, Stuttgart
- Tilman Krause, Berlin
- Hubert Spiegel, Frankfurt
Press Contact
Susanne Staerk
Press & Communications
Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH
Heidehofstrasse 31
D-70184 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 (0)711 460 84-29
Fax: +49 (0)711 460 84-10 29
Press & Communications
Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH
Heidehofstrasse 31
D-70184 Stuttgart
Phone: +49 (0)711 460 84-29
Fax: +49 (0)711 460 84-10 29