Schwaben Literature Prize: Achim Jäger wins with touching narrative

Schwaben Literature Prize: Achim Jäger wins with touching narrative

Memmingen, Deutschland - The Literature Prize of the Schwaben district has caused great enthusiasm in Memmingen. The ceremonial award took place on Friday in the impressive backdrop of the Kreuzherrnsaal, where Achim Jäger from Stuttgart emerged as the main award winner. With his gripping work "somewhere barked a dog", he won the main prize of the Literature Prize, which was endowed with 2,500 euros, which has a total of 6,600 euros.

A total of four outstanding works from 139 anonymized submissions were selected by a twelve -member jury. This year's topic was "at eye level", which dealt intensively with inclusion and the challenges in dealing with people with disabilities. District President Martin Sailer paid tribute to the variety of works and its emotional depth.

The winners and their works

Second place was awarded to Michael Lichtwarck-Aschoff for his text "Gernot L. is then spent at eye level". From the perspective of a doctor, he illuminates the hierarchies in everyday clinical life and the experience of a patient, who has the feeling of being far below the "eye level" of the medical staff. Lichtwarck-Schoff accepted the motto of the literature award "most serious" and represented the difficulties and inequalities in medical care. The jury praised his narrative style, which is reminiscent of Franz Kafka's works.

Third place received Katharina Prestel for her sensitive text "Images of an exhibition II", which literarily translates an art exhibition for people with visual impairments. The jury noticed that Prestel managed not only to convey visual impressions, but also to address other senses - an impressive example of inclusion through language. Finally, the young author Andreas Schmid was honored with the youth price for his text, where he convinced the jury with a fresh perspective.

A special highlight of the event was the honor of Lilly Haller, which was given a recognition prize for her extraordinary achievements. Despite her severe physical disability, the 17-year-old learned to write with the support of her mother and published her book "From the heart, for the soul" at the age of 16. The jury praised Haller's courage and creativity as an inspiring example of how to find literary expression despite adverse circumstances.

"The excellent texts impressively show the different facets of the topic inclusion," explained Sailer. "They touch and stimulate thought." During the award ceremony, the award winners also had the opportunity to present their work in readings, which the audience visibly delighted. The commitment of the Swabian district for literary talents underlines the cultural importance of the region.

The literature price at a glance

Since 2005, the Swabian district has been awarding its literary award annually to promote the diversity and quality of Swabian literature. Author women with roots in the Swabian-Alemannic cultural area are eligible to participate. The award winners are awarded for their unpublished texts, which are submitted on a specific topic. The price and the young price with an invitation to the master class literature in the Schwabenakademie Irsee not only promote the literary scene, but also offer emerging writers a platform for development.

The Literature Prize of the Schwaben district shows how narrow literature and social issues are connected by stimulating dialogue about inclusion and coexistence in society. This is not only a homogeneous award, but also a valuable contribution to the cultural identity of the region.

For more information on the award ceremony and the award winners see the current reporting radioschwaben.de .