Krasznahorkai's 'Herscht 07769' explores hate and innocence in German neo-Nazi milieu
László Krasznahorkai, winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature, has his novel 'Herscht 07769' (2021) translated into Spanish by Acantilado (2026, trans. Adam Kovacsics). The book opens with the line 'Hope is a mistake' and follows Florian Herscht, a large but naive man from a village in Thuringia, who writes letters to Angela Merkel signed with his surname and postal code. The narrative delves into the world of neo-Nazis, exploring human nature's extremes.
Key facts
- László Krasznahorkai won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature.
- His novel 'Herscht 07769' was published in 2021.
- The Spanish translation is by Acantilado, released in 2026.
- The translator is Adam Kovacsics.
- The protagonist is Florian Herscht, a large but naive man.
- The story is set in a village in Thuringia, Germany.
- Herscht writes letters to Angela Merkel.
- The novel opens with 'Hope is a mistake'.
Entities
Artists
- László Krasznahorkai
Institutions
- Acantilado
Locations
- Gyula
- Hungary
- Thuringia
- Germany