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Shida Bazyar wins German Book Prize for novel ‘Die Lücken’
Shida Bazyar has been awarded the 2026 German Book Prize for her novel ‘Die Lücken’ (The Gaps). The award, presented at the Frankfurt Römer ahead of the Frankfurt Book Fair, includes a prize of 25,000 euros.
Set in the fictional Hunsrück village of Heimesbach, the novel explores nearly 100 years of German history. It utilizes a kaleidoscopic narrative structure, featuring a deceased narrator to weave together stories of Jewish families, Nazi profiteers, and more recent refugees from Iran. The jury described the work as a ‘novel against indifference’ that redefines the boundaries of the ‘Heimat’ (homeland) genre.
During her acceptance speech, Bazyar addressed social tensions, noting that she found it difficult to feel joy amidst rising levels of racism and antisemitism in Germany.
The announcement coincides with the opening of the 78th Frankfurt Book Fair. While the fair continues to see significant attendance, industry reports indicate a decline in total revenue and a decrease in book purchases among younger demographics. At the fair, political discussions have also emerged, including calls from Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer for increased regulation of Big Tech companies regarding social media and artificial intelligence.
Entities
Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels · Deutscher Buchpreis · Elias Hirschl · Frankfurt Book Fair · Frankfurt am Main · German Book Prize · Heimesbach · Hunsrück · Shida Bazyar
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The winner receives 25,000 euros, while shortlist authors receive 2,500 euros each. www.diepresse.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The novel explores Jewish life and the Nazi past of a village in the Hunsrück region. www.zeit.de · www.finanznachrichten.de
- [● 5 SOURCES] Shida Bazyar won the 2026 German Book Prize for her novel Die Lücken. www.zeit.de · www.diepresse.com · www.onetz.de · www.finanznachrichten.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] The jury described the novel as a 'novel against indifference'. www.zeit.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In her acceptance speech, Bazyar noted that antisemitic and racist crimes are at record highs. www.zeit.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] A seven-member jury reviewed 205 titles for the award. www.zeit.de · www.diepresse.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The jury stated the novel explores and redefines the boundaries of the 'Heimatroman' (home novel).
- [● 2 SOURCES] The novel reflects nearly a century of ambivalent German life through individual character fates. www.zeit.de