Unforgettable Literary Masterpiece Takes Home Ingeborg Bachmann Prize
Natascha Gangl, an Austrian, claims victory in the Bachmann Prize 2025 awards celebration.
In a heartwarming victory, Austrian author Natascha Gangl bagged the prestigious Ingeborg Bachmann Prize for her poetic exploration of memory and unfathomable horror, "DA STA" ("The Stone"). Celebrated in Klagenfurt, Austria, Gangl's exceptional work left the jury and audience in awe with its rich dialect, profound observations of nature, and deeply layered narrative.
Proudly taking home €25,000, sponsored by the city of Klagenfurt, the 39-year-old author delivered a humble, poignant speech in dialect – “Es ziacht mia die Schlapf’ aus,” which means "It pulls my shoes off."
Gangl's competition entry dives into the deep, as she uncovers the overlooked traces of a heinous Nazi crime committed near the Slovenian border at the end of World War II in her homeland. Central to her story is the hunt for a privately erected memorial stone or gravestone for the Jewish victims who ended their lives in the tri-border region of Slovenia, Hungary, and Austria (specifically in the South East Styria area).
A Stylistic and Thematic Masterpiece
Impressed by its artistic, lyrical language technique, dense atmosphere, and unique regional dialect, the jury declared Gangl’s work as a "maestro de maestros" (masterpiece by a master). In fact, juror Brigitte Schwens-Harrant hailed the piece as a "unfassbar präzise" (unbelievably precise) craft, during her laudation.
Contemplating the forest where many victims had been murdered, the earth and its crime-ridden traces are described in a staggeringly poignant manner: "An open organ that chews, digests, ferments." With words like these, Gangl weaves a rich and haunting narrative that remains a testament to the depth of human tragedy.
Gangl has wrapped her creativity around various literary forms, including prose, essays, and spoken texts. Her collaborations with the band Rdeca Raketa resulted in a new form of radio play she calls "sound comic." An explorer of both the literary world and distant lands, Gangl currently resides in Vienna and her original homeland in Styria, following several years of living in Mexico and Spain.
A Voice for the Voiceless
Committed to uncovering the voices of the past, Gangl promises to take the Bachmann Prize to the place where many long for an open, warm, multilingual Styria – a home where everyone thrives and celebrates their unique cultures. Gangl refused to shy away from politics, addressing the controversial government led by the right-wing FPO.
Over three days, 14 authors from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland presented their works as part of the 49th Tage der deutschsprachigen Literatur (Days of German Literature). Organized by the Austrian broadcaster ORF, the competition is a proven platform for emerging and established German-language authors.
Rising Stars Shine
Berlin-based writer Boris Schumatsky clinched the Deutschlandfunk Prize (worth €12,500) with a tale about the unattainability of returning to his birthplace, Moscow. Swiss author Nora Osagiobare walked away with the KELAG Prize (worth €10,000) for her gripping, fast-paced story about a cocaine high and a ludicrous reality TV show where fathers receive a million-dollar incentive to cut off contact with their daughters.
Almut Tina Schmidt, a writer hailing from Göttingen who now resides in Vienna, demonstrated that even quiet narratives and seemingly ordinary settings can captivate. Her story, which revolves around a house with numerous apartments, where women cope with a range of relationship problems, violence, and illness, netted her the 3sat Prize (worth €7,500).
Tara Meister, another Austrian author, scored a writing scholarship.
The Favourite That Fell Short
One of the competition favourites went home empty-handed: Thomas Bissinger, the physicist and author living in Constance, delivered an excerpt from his historical novel project about the family of physicist Paul Ehrenfest (1880-1933). The excerpt dealt with the story of Nazi persecution, which the jury lauded for Bissinger's deft language, skilfully incorporating Dutch elements. However, some jury members questioned whether the text paid adequate homage to the hideousness of Nazi persecution, a gripe the author accepted with grace. Bissinger's novel is slated for publication next year.
- In her literary explorations, Natascha Gangl delves into various forms, including fashion-and-beauty, as evidenced by her collaborations with the band Rdeca Raketa, which resulted in a new form of radio play she calls "sound comic."
- Gangl's poetic work, "DA STA," not only showcases her unique regional dialect but also elaborate descriptions of food-and-drink, as in her poignant portrayal of the earth as an open organ that chews, digests, and ferments.
- With her unforgettable literary masterpiece, Gangl seeks to create an open, warm, multilingual Styria where everyone thrives and celebrates their unique cultures, much like the diverse and interconnected world of travel.
