Japanese author Yoko Tawada honored with Nelly-Sachs Prize by Dortmund city
In a remarkable recognition of her literary prowess, the city of Dortmund has announced that it will be awarding the Nelly Sachs Prize to writer Yoko Tawada in December 2025.
Born in Tokyo in 1960 to a bookseller family, Tawada's literary journey began in her native Japan with the publication of her first book "Sanninkankai" in 1992. Her talent for writing extended beyond her homeland as she started producing essays, poems, dramas, novels, and other prose texts in both Japanese and German.
Tawada's academic journey mirrored her literary one. She initially studied literature with a focus on Russian literature in Tokyo before moving to the University of Hamburg in 1982 to study modern German literature. Her debut novel "Only Where You Are, There Is Nothing" was published in 1986.
The Nelly Sachs Prize, awarded every two years by the city of Dortmund, honours literary figures who contribute to understanding between cultures, tolerance, respect, and reconciliation. Previous recipients include Imre Kertész, Herta Müller, and others, although the specific list of past recipients is not fully detailed in the provided search results.
The jury for the Nelly Sachs Prize consists of Mayor Barbara Brunsing, Jörg Stüdemann, Dr. Jörg Albrecht, Jona Elisa Krützfeld, Arnold Maxwill, and Dr. Slata Roschal, along with Matthias Dudde, Dominik De Marco, and Manfred Sauer as prize judges. Jury member Jona Elisa Krützfeld, a publisher and publicist, will give the laudation at the award ceremony.
The jury was impressed by Tawada's playful handling of language in her work. Her texts often explore the spaces in between, deconstructing language and perception in a unique way. Despite their simple, understandable language, they deal with complex and existential themes.
Tawada's books have been translated into many languages worldwide, and she has received numerous awards, including the Goethe Medal, the Akutagawa Literary Prize, the Kleist Prize, and the Carl Zuckmayer Medal.
In addition to the Nelly Sachs Prize, Tawada has another reason to celebrate. Her new novel "An Affair Without People" is set to be published in October. The award ceremony for the Nelly Sachs Prize will take place on December 14, 2025, at Dortmund Town Hall.
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