Hungarian author Laszlo Krasznahorkai was announced as the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature by the Swedish Academy. The prize, valued at 11 million crowns ($1.6 million Cdn), was praised by Mats Malm, the permanent secretary at the Swedish Academy, for Krasznahorkai’s profound body of work that upholds the importance of art amidst chaotic times.
Krasznahorkai, aged 71, previously awarded the prestigious Man Booker International Prize a decade ago, is renowned for his novel “The Melancholy of Resistance,” which garnered the German Bestenliste Prize in 1989. Notably, American critic Susan Sontag acclaimed Krasznahorkai as a leading figure in contemporary literature, referring to him as the “master of the apocalypse.”
Expressing his surprise and pride at the recognition, Krasznahorkai, currently in Germany, shared his plans to celebrate with friends in Frankfurt over dinner accompanied by port wine and champagne. Despite his past criticisms of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Orban extended his congratulations to the esteemed author.
Born in Gyula, Hungary, Krasznahorkai’s literary settings have spanned from central Europe to the Far East, influenced by his travels to China and Japan. His groundbreaking novel “Satantango,” published in 1985, depicted the struggles of rural life in the aftermath of communist rule, symbolizing mismanagement and poverty prevalent during that era.
In an interview with the Nobel website, Krasznahorkai disclosed his initial intention to write only one book but found himself compelled to continue honing his craft after the success of his debut. The author acknowledged the profound impact of Franz Kafka’s “The Castle” on his work, emphasizing the enduring influence of the early 20th-century writer on his creative process.
Collaborating closely with Hungarian filmmaker Bela Tarr, several of Krasznahorkai’s works, including “Satantango” and “The Werckmeister Harmonies,” have been adapted into films by Tarr. Notable past laureates of the Nobel Prize in Literature have included renowned authors such as George Bernard Shaw, Ernest Hemingway, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, with Canadian Alice Munro receiving the honor in 2013.
Krasznahorkai’s achievement marks the second time a Hungarian writer has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, following Imre Kertesz in 2002. The Nobel Prizes will be presented during a ceremony on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s passing, with the Nobel Peace Prize announcement scheduled for the following day and the Nobel Prize in economics recipient unveiling on Monday.
