ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

50th Bachmann Prize: Jury's Scrutiny Takes Center Stage in Klagenfurt

award · 2026-06-24

The 50th Bachmann Prize, a major German-language literary competition, will take place in June in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee. The event features authors reading unpublished texts before a seven-member jury, which then publicly critiques and evaluates the works. This format, which once saw critic Marcel Reich-Ranicki reduce a writer to tears, continues to spark debates about literary criticism itself. The competition remains a unique platform where critical judgment is performed live, drawing attention to the harshness or fairness of the jury's assessments.

Key facts

  • 50th Bachmann Prize takes place in June in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee.
  • Authors read unpublished texts before a seven-member jury.
  • Jury publicly discusses and critiques the texts immediately after reading.
  • Marcel Reich-Ranicki once made a writer cry during the competition.
  • The event is known for sparking debates about literary criticism.
  • The Bachmann Prize is considered the last major stage for public critical judgment in German-language literature.
  • The competition format involves live audience and cameras.
  • The 50th edition is expected to generate discussions about the jury's role and harshness.

Entities

Artists

  • Marcel Reich-Ranicki

Institutions

  • Bachmann Prize

Locations

  • Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
  • Austria

Sources