International Stefan Heym Prize of the City of Chemnitz 2026 for Yuri Andrukhovych

Poet, writer, essayist and translator Yuri Andrukhovych has been awarded the International Stefan Heym Prize of the City of Chemnitz 2026. The Board of Trustees of the International Stefan Heym Prize honours the work and influence of the author as one of the most important literary and intellectual voices in Ukraine. The decision of the Board of Trustees was announced today by Mayor of Culture Dagmar Ruscheinsky. The International Stefan Heym Prize of the City of Chemnitz 2026 will be awarded on Saturday, 18 April, at a ceremony in the event location 'die fabrik'.

The Ukrainian writer Yuri Andrukhovych, born in 1960, became known through the performance group Bu-Ba-Bu (Burlesk-Balagan-Buffonada), founded in 1985. In experimental, satirical poems, the group criticised actually existing socialism and had a lasting influence on the Ukrainian literary scene. After the publication of his last volumes of poetry in 1991 and 1997, Andrukhovych devoted most of his work to narrative prose and journalistic essays, but remained true to his preference for the multi-layered, mischievous-satirical and sometimes grotesque-carnivalesque, particularly in his novels.

Andrukhovych's literary activism is motivated by the special situation in his home country. With Poland's accession to the EU's external border, Ukraine was still terra incognita in Western Europe and the USA. He reflected on this (non-)localisation of Ukraine in Europe at the time in "The Last Territory" (2003). During the Orange Revolution, Andrukhovych took part in the opposition demonstrations in Ukraine. "Dvanadcjat' obrutschiv" (Engl. "Twelve Rings", 2007, Suhrkamp Verlag) was his first novel to be translated into German. It reflects the chaos of the post-socialist transition period and the birth of a new state. He also published the book "Euromaidan: Was in der Ukraine auf dem Spiel steht" (2014, Suhrkamp Verlag) in German. In it, authors and academics examine the moment of the revolution from their own individual perspectives and seek answers to the question: Will there be a free, self-determined Ukraine alongside Russia and Europe? In 2023, Suhrkamp Verlag also published another collection of essays entitled "The Price of Our Freedom". It makes it clear that Andrukhovych, with his keen eye for political developments and Ukrainian society, was already warning of Russia's claims and endeavours long before 2022.

As in the case of Stefan Heym, Andrukhovych's work is also characterised by strong socio-political and correspondingly critical traits. As a central stylistic device in his novels, he uses subtle humour as a weapon against dictators and many a human stupidity. The fact that Andrukhovych has repeatedly caused controversial debates as a result of his literary interventions links his work with that of Stefan Heym, according to the curators' statement.

Particularly in times of crisis, Andrukhovych sees his main task as being an observer and witness to all those phenomena that other people are usually rather blind to, and to be a mouthpiece for those for whom no one else speaks out. Andrukhovych is no stranger to Chemnitz: He opened the literary festival LeseLust in 2025! Choosing him as the winner of the International Stefan Heym Prize is a great honour for the city of Chemnitz and the board of trustees.

Prize winner Yuri Andrukhovych:
"In the name of the current prize, I like the point about interfering best - in social and political debates, of course. And I like to get involved.
To put it in the language of someone who really made America great - 'I have a dream'. Someone wants a deal, I have a dream. Of course, my dream always revolves around one and the same thing: a strong Ukraine in a strong Europe.
The time has come when Europe no longer has to blush and be ashamed of the attribute 'strong'. I now put it before all other attributes - 'prosperous', 'constitutional', 'social', 'tolerant', 'diverse'... None of these exist without strength. Strong, because free. Safe, because strong. And without a strong and free Ukraine, I simply can no longer imagine a strong, free and secure Europe."

Mayor of Culture Dagmar Ruscheinsky:
"With the International Stefan Heym Prize, the city of Chemnitz commemorates its great son Stefan Heym and the special role of literature in contributing to social debates critically, courageously and with a clear view. The prize stands for literature that takes a stand, asks questions and initiates public debate - in the spirit of Heym's literary and political work.
At the same time, we are consciously building on the literary tradition of our city, which includes Heym as well as authors such as Irmtraud Morgner and Stephan Hermlin. The prize is therefore not only an honour for outstanding literature, but also an encouragement for the Chemnitz literary scene. To strengthen this continuity of Chemnitz as a literary centre, the city also regularly awards a literary scholarship."

Prof Dr Bernadette Malinowski, Professor of Modern German and Comparative Literature at Chemnitz University of Technology:
"In a masterful way, Yuri Andrukhovych links his fictional stories with the major historical developments and political upheavals in his Ukrainian homeland. In both his literary and journalistic work, he proves himself to be a tireless advocate and fighter for the 'Europe' project - a fighter, of course, whose work is fuelled by his experience of life and suffering, astute observation, unerring judgement and, of course, the power of imagination and genius for literary forms. Instead of doggedness, he relies on the critical weapon of humour and thus on the freedom of the word.
My recommended reading to start with: 'Mittelöstliches Memento', published in 'Mein Europa: Zwei Essays über das sogenannte Mitteleuropa'."

Petra Seedorff, Chairwoman of the Board of the International Stefan Heym Society:
"'If someone like me is standing before you today', Stefan Heym said in his speech as President of the Bundestag in 1994. Someone like him - a political refugee as early as 1933, a world-class writer in exile and bestselling author, a socialist, a dissident for life, who not only always intervened with his books and stood up for democracy, even if it was uncomfortable for him and had consequences - is the namesake of an international literature prize awarded by the city of Chemnitz. This is encouraging, especially in times like ours, and emphasises the importance of literature and its impact. This year's prizewinner honours someone who not only expresses his views on current issues in literature, but also in speeches and lectures - just as Stefan Heym did."

Festive award ceremony of the International Stefan Heym Prize of the City of Chemnitz
Lord Mayor Sven Schulze will award the International Stefan Heym Prize of the City of Chemnitz to Yuri Andrukhovych on 18 April 2026. The award ceremony traditionally takes place on the occasion of Stefan Heym's birthday (10 April 1913) and this year at the event location 'die fabrik', Zwickauer Straße 145. The event starts at 6 pm, admission from 5 pm.

Anyone interested in Chemnitz is cordially invited to the award ceremony. Admission is free of charge. Registration is required via the citizen participation portal, which can be accessed at
www.chemnitz.de/heymtickets.

International Stefan Heym Prize of the City of Chemnitz
The International Stefan Heym Prize of the City of Chemnitz is awarded in memory of the life, work and achievements of Stefan Heym, the son and honorary citizen of the city. The International Stefan Heym Prize is intended to honour contemporary and courageous personalities who, like Stefan Heym, have made outstanding and lasting achievements as writers and publicists.

The prize was first awarded to Amos Oz in 2008. Bora Ćosić received the award in 2011. On the occasion of Stefan Heym's 100th birthday, the prize was awarded to Christoph Hein in 2013. In 2017, the Polish writer and journalist Joanna Bator received the International Stefan Heym Prize of the City of Chemnitz. The Croatian writer and journalist Slavenka Drakulić and the Swedish author and journalist Richard Swartz were the prizewinners in 2020. In 2023, the German writer Jenny Erpenbeck received the International Stefan Heym Prize of the City of Chemnitz.

Further information
Information on the International Stefan Heym Prize of the City of Chemnitz, the Stefan Heym Sponsorship Prizes and the previous prizewinners can be found at: www.chemnitz.de/heympreis.