German Author Lena Schätte Wins Prestigious Bachmann Prize

German writer Lena Schätte has won the prestigious Ingeborg Bachmann Prize at the 50th Days of German-Language Literature in Klagenfurt, Austria. The jury announced Sunday that the 32-year-old author from North Rhine-Westphalia triumphed over 13 competitors with her text titled "Was wir tragen" (What We Wear).

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It is a fever dream.

Schätte's winning piece movingly yet unflinchingly depicts the friendship between two overweight schoolgirls navigating life as social outsiders. Juror Thomas Strässle praised the text for its "existential force," highlighting Schätte's ability to address themes of exclusion without accusation or didacticism. Schätte, who also secured the audience award, described her victory as "a fever dream" in her initial reaction.

This is not Schätte's first literary recognition; last year, her novel "Das Schwarz an den Händen meines Vaters" (The Black on My Father's Hands) was longlisted for the German Book Prize. Originally from Lüdenscheid and now living in Altena, Schätte worked as a psychiatric nurse before beginning her studies at the German Literature Institute Leipzig in 2020.

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It is a fever dream.

The Kelag Prize, worth 15,000 Euros, was awarded to Hungarian poet and performance artist Kinga Toth for her musical text "OstblockMädl," which explores themes of labor migration, identity, and language. The Days of German-Language Literature competition has been held annually since 1977, with past winners including notable authors like Sten Nadolny, Sibylle Lewitscharoff, Uwe Tellkamp, and Helga Schubert. Last year's main prize went to Austrian language artist Natascha Gangl.

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The text has existential force.