German Book Prize 2026: introducing the 20 nominated novels

The jury for the German Book Prize 2026 has nominated 20 novels. Since the call for submissions went out, the jury has reviewed 205 titles published – or yet to be published – between October 2025 and 8 September 2026, when the shortlist will be announced. 

Jury spokesperson Cornelia Geißler (Berliner Zeitung) released the following statement:

“Exploring the past in order to understand the present – our 2026 selection of novels reflects this in many different ways. The books we selected range from fragmentary works of compelling complexity to sweeping, engrossing narratives spanning long periods of time. We are particularly impressed by the striking and illuminating ways in which biographical multilingualism culminates in literary richness. With stylistic assurance, innovation and, indeed, wit, the authors reveal the vulnerability of their characters and accompany them as they set out towards a different future. How can we find our bearings in a world where uncertainty is spreading? We are convinced that reading helps. These are the books to turn to.”

The nominated novels are (in alphabetic order):

• Shida Bazyar: Die Lücken (Verlag Kiepenheuer & Witsch, September 2026) 
• Helene Bukowski: Wer möchte nicht im Leben bleiben (claassen Verlag, February 2026) 
• Miriam Carbe: Unerwünschte Töchter (Carl Hanser Verlag, May 2026)
• Muri Darida: King Cobra (dtv, March 2026)
• Alisha Gamisch: Parasiti (Verlag Voland & Quist, March 2026)
• Franziska Gänsler: Orca (Kein & Aber, August 2026)
• Tomer Gardi: Liefern (Tropen Verlag, February 2026)
• Valeria Gordeev: Die Zikade entschlüpft ihrer goldglänzenden Hülle (S. Fischer Verlag, August 2026)
• Elias Hirschl: Schleifen (Paul Zsolnay Verlag, January 2026) 
• Svenja Leiber: Nelka (Suhrkamp Verlag, February 2026)
• Leh-Wei Liao: Glaszeit (Luchterhand Literaturverlag, August 2026)
• Peggy Mädler: Selbstregulierung des Herzens (Verlag Galiani Berlin, February 2026)
• Giuliano Musio: Aus anderem Holz (Luftschacht Verlag, September 2026) 
• Yade Yasemin Önder: Anti Müller (park x ullstein, February 2026)
• Lukas Rietzschel: Sanditz (dtv, March 2026) 
• Ingo Schulze: Das Wasser im August (S. Fischer Verlag, August 2026)
• Heinz Strunk: Memories of Heidelberg (Rowohlt Verlag, July 2026)
• Karosh Taha: Gulistan (DuMont Buchverlag, August 2026) 
• Lilli Tollkien: Mit beiden Händen den Himmel stützen (Aufbau Verlage, March 2026) 
• Dana Vowinckel: Anton und Alma (Suhrkamp Verlag, September 2026)

In addition to Cornelia Geißler, the members of the jury are: Theresa Donner (“heiter bis wolkig” bookshop, Halle an der Saale), Jan Ehlert (NDR), Maha El Hissy (independent critic), Emily Grunert (Literaturbüro NRW), Stefanie Kreuzer (University of Kassel) and Adam Soboczynski (DIE ZEIT). 

The next step will be for the members of the jury to select six titles from the longlist for inclusion on the shortlist, which will be announced on 8 September 2026. The six shortlisted authors will only find out who among them has won the German Book Prize on the evening of the award ceremony itself. The winner will receive 25,000 euros, the five finalists 2,500 euros each. The award ceremony will be held in the Kaisersaal of the Frankfurt Römer on 5 October 2026, to coincide with the start of the Frankfurter Buchmesse, and will be broadcast live.

The German Book Prize is awarded by the Stiftung Buchkultur und Leseförderung des Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (Foundation for Book Culture and the Promotion of Reading of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association). The main sponsor of the prize is the Deutsche Bank Stiftung (Deutsche Bank Foundation), and Frankfurter Buchmesse and the city of Frankfurt am Main are also partners.

Get to know the nominated novels: reading samples and blog reviews

The paperback “Deutscher Buchpreis 2026: Die Nominierten” (“German Book Prize 2026: The Nominees”) will be available shortly, free of charge, in many bookshops throughout Germany. With reading samples from all the nominated books and information about the authors, it invites readers to discover the stories. The compilation is published in cooperation with AZ Druck und Datentechnik, Kempten.

In the coming weeks, under the hashtag #buchpreisbloggen, 20 literary bloggers will each present one of the nominated titles. The reviews will be collected on  www.deutscher-buchpreis.de/news and shared on the social media channels of the German Book Prize.

A press photo of the jury is available at www.boersenverein.de/pressefotos.

More information about the German Book Prize 2026 can be found at www.deutscher-buchpreis.de.

The hashtag for the German Book Prize 2026 is #dbp26.