German Book Prize 2025: These books are on the longlist

Frankfurt/Main. Twelve female and eight male authors have made it onto the longlist for the German Book Prize with their novels. Among the 20 titles, six are debut novels, as announced by the German Publishers and Booksellers Association. Among the nominees are twelve women and eight men. The winner will be announced on October 13th – the day before the Frankfurt Book Fair opens.

"Language design, narrative style, and the frightening present, among other things, guided us in the jury debate in the fragile year of 2025. Uncertainty defines our time," said jury spokesperson Laura de Weck. "But one thing is certain: this year's longlist brings together 20 outstanding novels that, in all their diversity, reflect our shaky reality."

• Kathrin Bach: “Life Insurance”
• Marko Dinić: “Book of Faces”
• Nava Ebrahimi: “And feathers everywhere”
• Dorothee Elmiger: “The Dutch Women”
• Kaleb Erdmann: “The Alternative School”
• Annett Gröschner: “Floating Burdens”
• Dmitrij Kapitelman: “Russian Specialties”
• Jina Khayyer: “In the Heart of the Cat”
• Jehona Kicaj: “ë”
• Michael Köhlmeier: “The Corrupted”
• Jonas Lüscher: “Enchanted Predestination”
• Thomas Melle: “House of the Sun”
• Jacinta Nandi: “Single Mom Supper Club”
• Gesa Olkusz: “My Brother’s Language”
• Lena Schätte: “The black on my father’s hands”
• Lina Schwenk: “Blind Ghosts”
• Fiona Sironic: “On Saturday the girls go into the forest and blow things up.”
• Peter Wawerzinek: “See Rome and not die”
• Christine Wunnicke: “Wax”
• Feridun Zaimoglu: “Son without a father”

In total, the jury reviewed more than 200 titles that were published or will be published between October 2024 and mid-September 2025. On September 16, the longlist will be narrowed down to six titles for the shortlist.

The German Book Prize has been awarded by the German Publishers and Booksellers Association since 2005. Its goal is to annually select the "Novel of the Year" and thus raise awareness of the diversity and quality of contemporary literature. The prize also serves as a guide for readers, the book trade, and the media. The main sponsor is the Deutsche Bank Foundation, with partners including the Frankfurt Book Fair and the City of Frankfurt am Main.

The German Book Prize is one of the most important literary awards in the German-speaking world and is endowed with a total of 37,500 euros: the winner receives 25,000 euros, and the other shortlisted authors each receive 2,500 euros. Last year, the award went to Martina Hefter for her novel "Hey, good morning, how are you?"

RND/dpa/pf