A novel against indifference German Book Prize for Bazyar

Shida Bazyar has won the German Book Prize for her novel „Die Lücken“, announced at the close of the Frankfurt Book Fair on October 5, 2026. The prize, worth 25,000 euros, recognizes the book’s exploration of nearly a century of ambivalent German history through the lives of individual characters. The jury described the work as “a novel against indifference,” highlighting its literary strategies and its ability to challenge traditional notions of the homeland narrative. The novel is set in a fictional village called Heimesbach in the Hunsrück region of Rhineland-Palatinate, inspired by Bazyar’s hometown. The protagonist, an omniscient narrator who died in a traffic accident, returns to the village through supernatural means, sent back to the place she once fled as a child with her family, including her older sister, during the Nazi era. Through this structure, the novel traces the lives of Jewish families, Nazi profiteers, and Kurdish and Iranian refugees seeking refuge in Germany. It delves into hidden chapters of German history, focusing on lies, racism, and repression. One passage notes that no one ever admitted to still keeping “the image of the leader in his drawer.” Bazyar, born in 1988 to an Iranian immigrant family in Germany, has previously published two novels: „Nachts ist es leise in Teheran“ (2016) and „Drei Kameradinnen“ (2021). The latter made it to the longlist for the German Book Prize. This year’s award comes amid renewed public interest in Nazi-era connections and family histories, partly fueled by recent releases of data from the U.S. National Archives allowing individuals to trace whether their ancestors were part of the Nazi apparatus. The jury praised the novel’s innovative structure, which allows the dead narrator to leap between time periods, creating both intimacy and distance. They noted how the blending of fictional and documentary elements gives the text a powerful resonance. The novel’s transnational perspective also challenges the boundaries of the traditional homeland narrative. Other finalists included Franziska Gänsler („Orca“), Valeria Gordeev („Die Zikade entschlüpft ihrer goldglänzenden Hülle“), Elias Hirschl („Schleifen“), Peggy Mädler („Selbstregulierung des Herzens“), and Dana Vowinckel („Anton und Alma“). A total of 205 books were considered, published between late 2025 and early September 2026. The longlist featured 20 titles, narrowed down to six for the shortlist. Each finalist received 2,500 euros, while Bazyar received 25,000 euros. During her acceptance speech, Bazyar expressed difficulty in feeling genuine joy over the award, given the serious themes of the novel. She emphasized that the book deals with people who were persecuted, tortured, and murdered. She urged the audience to recognize that antisemitic and racist crimes are at record levels in Germany, and that no minority feels safe today. She concluded with a quote from Hannah Arendt: “The problem with 1933 was not what our enemies did, but what our friends did.” The German Book Prize, awarded annually since 2005, is among the most prestigious honors in German literature. This year marked its 22nd edition. Last year’s winner was Swiss author Dorothee Elmiger for „Die Holländerinnen“. The prize is awarded by the Foundation for Book Culture and Reading Promotion of the German Booksellers Association. The novel will be discussed in a special episode of the SRF1 program Literaturclub on October 6, 2026. The Frankfurt Book Fair opens on October 6, with the German Book Prize ceremony taking place the day before. The fair continues until October 10, offering a platform for authors, publishers, and readers alike.