Shida Bazyar wins German Book Prize as Austrian shortlist is announced

Shida Bazyar has been awarded the 2026 German Book Prize for her novel ‘Die Lücken’. This honor follows her receipt of the Wilhelm Raabe Literature Prize, which carries a 30,000 euro endowment, while the German Book Prize is valued at 25,000 euros.

In Austria, the shortlist for the 2026 Austrian Book Prize has been announced. The five finalists are Anna Baar (‘Amseln’), Birgit Birnbacher (‘Sie wollen uns erzählen’), Sabine Scholl (‘Die zweite Haut’), Norbert Gstrein (‘Im ersten Licht’), and Elias Hirschl (‘Schleifen’). The winner will receive 20,000 euros, while the other finalists will receive 2,500 euros each. The award ceremony is scheduled for November 23.

Elias Hirschl, a finalist for the Austrian prize, also appeared on the shortlist for the German Book Prize before losing to Bazyar. Additionally, the Austrian Book Prize will include a debut prize ceremony for finalists Marlen Mairhofer, Nina Temann, and David Vajda.