The Georg Büchner Prize was first established during the Weimar Republic by the State of Hesse. Its purpose was to recognise writers, artists, actors and singers. It was first awarded in 1923 in the state capital, Darmstadt.
Since 1951 the new Büchner Prize has been awarded annually by the German Academy for Language and Literature. According to the charter of the Academy, it is given to authors »writing in the German language whose work is considered especially meritorious and who have made a significant contribution to contemporary German culture.«
The prize is awarded at a ceremony held during the autumn conference of the German Academy in Darmstadt.
The prize currently comes with an award of €50,000.
Oswald Egger
Oswald Egger is awarded the »Georg-Büchner-Preis« 2024. The prize giving ceremony will take place in Darmstadt on November, 2.
Writer and Jurist
Born 17/12/1902
Deceased 27/3/1995
... einen ebenso mutigen wie sensiblen Zeitzeugen, der den Wahnsinn unseres Jahrhunderts ohne Ressentiments in dichterischer Eindringlichkeit zum Ausdruck bringt.
Jury members
Juryvorsitz: Herbert Heckmann
Peter Benz (Stadt Darmstadt), Herman Dieter Betz (Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst), Walter Helmut Fritz, Hans-Martin Gauger, Hartmut von Hentig, Georg Hensel, Ivan Nagel, Lea Ritter-Santini, Dolf Sternberger (Ehrenpräsident), Guntram Vesper, Peter Wapnewski, Hans Wollschläger