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False death! Jelinek falls victim to a devastating fake news scandal
Fake news about Elfriede Jelinek's death confuses the media in June 2025. Clarification about false reports and their origins.
False death! Jelinek falls victim to a devastating fake news scandal
The spread of fake news about the supposed death of Nobel Prize winner Elfriede Jelinek recently caused a stir. On June 17, 2025, several media outlets reported on the news, which was originally spread by the X account “Rowohlt AT”. The account reported that 78-year-old Jelinek had died, which immediately drew numerous reactions. Jennifer Luger from vienna.at sheds light on the background of this false report.
The origin of the fake news is attributed to the Italian author Tommaso Debenedetti, who has attracted attention several times in the past for similar actions. The news of Jelinek's death was previously found on July 24, 2024 in an internet post that was incorrectly published under the name of the German writer Jenny Erpenbeck. However, she had never written such a post, and Pia Janke, the head of the Elfriede Jelinek Research Center in Vienna, confirmed that Jelinek is alive.
The reaction and the consequences
The Rowohlt publishing house described the false report as a hoax and decided to deny it. Jenny Erpenbeck expressed outrage at the use of her name in the fake post and said she would take legal action. She also pointed out that the account that spread the news has existed since February 2024 and has not received any official confirmation.
The spread of such fake news raises questions about media literacy, which studies have shown is becoming increasingly important these days. Empirical data shows that fake news is less widespread, but is consumed more intensively in certain circles. Low trust in political and media institutions can make people particularly vulnerable to this false information. The Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) notes that since the election of Donald Trump and the Brexit referendum, the topic of fake news has become more and more in focus.
Measures against fake news
The EU has launched several initiatives to combat the spread of disinformation. Projects such as “EU vs. Disinfo” and the European Digital Media Observatory are intended to support the fight against fake news and the promotion of media literacy. Raising awareness through “vaccinations” and fact-checking play a central role in these efforts.
The current situation surrounding Elfriede Jelinek illustrates how vulnerable information on social media is to manipulation. In times when the boundaries between true and false are often blurred, it is essential to promote critical reflection on media content and to strengthen trust in reputable sources.