Forklift driver, illustrator and cabaret artist in the running for the Bachmann Prize
Published: Friday, May 24th 2024, 14:10
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Fourteen authors with a wide range of second careers are taking part in this year's reading competition for the prestigious Ingeborg Bachmann Prize in Austria. Three of the invitees come from Switzerland.
The starting field, which was announced in Klagenfurt on Friday, includes the Bonn-based writer Denis Pfabe, who drives a forklift truck in a DIY store three days a week.
One of the best-known participants is the German theater and prose author Olivia Wenzel, whose novel "1000 Serpentinen Angst" made it onto the 2020 German Book Prize longlist. Also in the running are Austrian writer and cabaret artist Ulrike Haidacher, Swiss author and illustrator Semi Eschmamp and Slovenian poet and viola player Tamara Stajner.
The reading competition, broadcast by 3sat, will take place from June 27 to 29 in Klagenfurt as part of the Days of German-Language Literature. The Ingeborg Bachmann Prize, endowed with 25,000 euros, will be awarded on June 30. Last year, Valeria Gordeev from Tübingen won the award, which is named after the Austrian writer who died in 1973.
The spoken word talents Miedya Mahmod and Henrik Szanto have also been invited from Germany this year, as well as Christine Koschmieder, Tijan Sila and Sophie Stein. Roland Jurczok and Sarah Elena Müller from Switzerland are also in the running. Kaska Bryla and Johanna Sebauer are also taking part from Austria.
This year's jury will be chaired by Austrian Klaus Kastberger, after literary critic Insa Wilke stepped down after six years. As a new jury member, the Swiss Laura de Weck will discuss and decide on the texts presented.
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