The winners of the 2021 Kurd Laßwitz Preis for German-language science fiction have been announced.

For 40 years, the authors, translators, editors, publishers, graphic artists and journalists working professionally in SF genre in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have been voting on the best new releases from the previous year.

The award ceremony will be at the 12th Penta-Con, taking place in Dresden the first week of November.

Award Trustee Udo Klotz reports that the point tally was based on 421 nominations from 66 voters, as well as the 241 reviews and comments from the pre-selection committee. The resulting 72 nominations were sent to over 230 voters, of whom 92 took part, submitting a total of 1,164 votes (up to five nominations can be rated 5-4-3-2-1 points per category).

In the translation category, a jury of ten translators and editors acted, while in the radio play category, the jurors (radio play directors, radio play authors and radio play experts) are still working and their choice will be announced later.

NOTE: The table was prepared by the Award Trustee, and has a few formatting errors I don’t know how to fix.

BEST GERMAN SF-NOVEL FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2020

68 people voted in this category

Award winner	Points
Andreas Eschbach, Eines Menschen Flügel  Lübbe	118

Nominees
2	Tom Hillenbrand, Qube (Aus der Welt der Hologrammatica, vol. 2) Kiepenheuer & Witsch	109
3	Gabriele Behrend, Salzgras & Lavendel  p.machinery	88
4	Uwe Post, E-Tot  Polarise	78
5	Michael Marrak, Anima ex Machina (2nd novel of Kanon series) Edition Mono / Monochrom	74
6	Zoë Beck, Paradise City  Suhrkamp	70
7	Heribert Kurth, Unter den Sternen von Tha  p.machinery	63
8	Marc-Uwe Kling, QualityLand 2.0  Ullstein	54
9	Christoph Dittert, Fallender Stern  Piper	48
10	Sameena Jehanzeb, Was Preema nicht weiß  self published	36
11	No award – I consider none of the nominations in this category to be worthy of an award	0

BESTE GERMAN SF-STORY FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2020

64 people voted in this category

Award winner	Points
Angela and Karlheinz Steinmüller, Marslandschaften in: René Moreau, Olaf Kemmler and Heinz Wipperfürth (ed.): Exodus 41, Exodus Selbstverlag and in: Angela and Karlheinz Steinmüller: Marslandschaften, Memoranda	101

Nominees	Points
2	Heidrun Jänchen, Mietnomaden in: René Moreau and Hans Jürgen Kugler (ed.): Der grüne Planet – Zukunft im Klimawandel, Hirnkost	87
3	Christian Endres, Der Klang sich lichtenden Nebels in: René Moreau and Hans Jürgen Kugler (ed.): Der grüne Planet – Zukunft im Klimawandel, Hirnkost	80
4	Gabriele Behrend, Meerwasser in: Sylvana Freiberg and Ralf Zacharias (ed.): Unsere Freunde von ? Eridani, Begedia	68
5	Uwe Post, Terra Halbpension in: Sylvana Freiberg and Ralf Zacharias (ed.): Unsere Freunde von ? Eridani, Begedia	54
6	Hans Jürgen Kugler, Die Insulaner in: René Moreau and Hans Jürgen Kugler (ed.): Pandemie – Geschichten zur Zeitenwende, Hirnkost	52
7	Michael Marrak, Insomnia in: Michael Marrak: Das Haus Lazarus, Memoranda	50
8	Kai Focke, Gastropoda galactica in: Ellen Norten (ed.): Das Alien tanzt Walzer, p.machinery	46
[TIE for 8] Frank Lauenroth, Delter in: Sylvana Freiberg and Ralf Zacharias (ed.): Unsere Freunde von ? Eridani, Begedia	46
10	Thorsten Küper, Unsere Freunde von ? Eridani in: Sylvana Freiberg and Ralf Zacharias (ed.): Unsere Freunde von ? Eridani, Begedia	39
11	Carsten Schmitt, Wagners Stimme in: Klaus N. Frick (ed.): Wie künstlich ist Intelligenz?, Plan9	38
12	Galax Acheronian, Verloren auf Firr’Dars  in: Galax Acheronian (ed.): Hyper Orbis, Verlag für Moderne Phantastik	30
[TIE FOR 12] Axel Kruse, Grassoden in: Peggy Weber-Gehrke (ed.): 2101 – Was aus uns wurde, Verlag für Moderne Phantastik	30
14	Christian Künne, Friedensfahrt in: Peggy Weber-Gehrke (ed.): Rebellion in Sirius City, Verlag für Moderne Phantastik	11
15	No award – I consider none of the nominations in this category to be worthy of an award	0

BEST NON-GERMAN SF WORK TRANSLATED FIRST TIME IN 2020

56 people voted in this category

Award winner	Points
Simon Stålenhag, Tales from the Loop (Ur Varselklotet)  Fischer Tor	67

Nominees	Points
2	Stephen Baxter, Artefakt (Destroyer) (Sternenpforte, Band 1)Heyne	64
[TIE FOR 2] Tade Thompson, Rosewater (Rosewater) (Wormwood, Band 1)Golkonda	64
4	William Gibson, Agency (Agency) (Jackpot, Band 2)Klett-Cotta Tropen	62
5	Basma Abdel Aziz, Das Tor (???????)  Heyne	58
6	Zack Jordan, Last Human – Allein gegen die Galaxis (The Last Human)  Heyne	48
7	Jodi Taylor, Miss Maxwells chaotischer Zeitkompass (Symphony of Echoes) (Die Chroniken von St. Mary’s, vol. 2)Blanvalet	45
8	Baoshu, Großes steht bevor (???) in: Ken Liu (ed.): Zerbrochene Sterne, Heyne	41
9	Samanta Schweblin, Hundert Augen (Kentukis)  Suhrkamp	35
10	Agustina Bazterrica, Wie die Schweine (Cadáver exquisito)  Suhrkamp	34
11	David Wellington, Die letzte Astronautin (The Last Astronaut)  Piper	33
12	James S.A. Corey [= Daniel Abraham & Ty Franck], Tiamats Zorn (Tiamat’s Wrath) (The Expanse, vol. 8)Heyne	25
13	Christopher Paolini, Infinitum – Die Ewigkeit der Sterne (To Sleep in a Sea of Stars)  Knaur	23
14	Dennis E. Taylor, Die Singularitätsfalle (The Singularity Trap)  Heyne	14
15	John Marrs, The Passengers – Du entscheidest über Leben and Tod (The Passengers)  Heyne	9
16	No award – I consider none of the nominations in this category to be worthy of an award	0

BEST TRANSLATION OF SF INTO GERMAN, FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2020

Eleven nominated translations out of twelve were selected in consultation with the pre-selection committee (one was published in 2019 and rejected) and were provided to the translation jury (ten translators and proofreaders) as comparable excerpts of original and translated text.

Award winner	Points
Susanne Gerold  for the translation of N.K. Jemisin, Die große Stille (The Broken Earth) [3 volumes] Knaur	76

Nominees	Points
2	Eva Kemper  for the translation of Katie Hale, Mein Name ist Monster (My Name is Monster)  S.Fischer	69
[TIE FOR 3] Jürgen Langowski  for the translation of Zack Jordan, Last Human – Allein gegen die Galaxis (The Last Human)  Heyne	69
[TIE FOR 3] Jakob Schmidt  for the translation of  Tade Thompson, Rosewater (Rosewater) (Wormwood, Band 1)Golkonda	69
5	Henning Ahrens  for the translation of Kira Jane Buxton, Hollow Kingdom – Das Jahr der Krähe (Hollow Kingdom)  Fischer Tor	67
6	Pia Biundo  for the translation of Vlad Hernández, Nemesis (Nemesis) in: René Moreau and Hans Jürgen Kugler (ed.)Pandemie – Geschichten zur Zeitenwende  Hirnkost	60
7	Larissa Bender  for the translation of Basma Abdel Aziz, Das Tor (???????)  Heyne	58
8	Jakob Schmidt for the new translation of Frank Herbert, Die Kinder des Wüstenplaneten (Children of Dune) (Der Wüstenplanet, Band 3)Heyne	56
9	Pia Biundo  for the translation of Vlad Hernández, Lebensstationen eines Idealisten (13 instantes de un paradigma) in: c’t 25/2020  Heise	55
[TIE FOR 9] Stefan Pluschkat  for the translation of Simon Stålenhag, Tales from the Loop (Ur Varselklotet)  Fischer Tor	55
11	Oliver Hoffmann  for the translation of Tanya Huff, Im Dienst der Föderation (Valor’s Choice) (Confederation of Valor, Band 1)Plan9	34
12	No award – I consider none of the nominations in this category to be worthy of an award	0

BEST SF ART (COVER, ILLUSTRATION) RELATED TO A GERMAN EDITION IN 2020

80 people voted in this category

Award winner	Points
Meike Schultchen  for the cover of   René Moreau and Michael Vogt (ed.): Cozmic 2  Atlantis	142

Nominees
2	Dirk Berger  for the cover of René Moreau, Olaf Kemmler and Heinz Wipperfürth (ed.): Exodus 40  Exodus Selbstverlag	140
3	Jan Hoffmann  for the cover of Klaus Bollhöfener (ed.): phantastisch! 79  Atlantis	132
4	Uli Bendick for the cover and inside illustrations of René Moreau and Hans Jürgen Kugler (ed.): Der grüne Planet – Zukunft im Klimawandel  Hirnkost	130
5	Michael Vogt  for the cover of   René Moreau and Hans Jürgen Kugler (ed.): Pandemie – Geschichten zur Zeitenwende  Hirnkost	95
6	Arndt Drechsler  for the cover of Galax Acheronian (ed.): Hyper Orbis  Verlag für Moderne Phantastik	92
7	Lothar Bauer  for the cover of Michael K. Iwoleit and Michael Haitel (ed.): Nova 29  p.machinery	91
8	Lothar Bauer  for the cover of Ellen Norten (ed.): Das Alien tanzt Walzer  p.machinery	67
9	No award – I consider none of the nominations in this category to be worthy of an award	10

BEST GERMAN SF RADIO PLAY FIRST BROADCASTED IN 2020

In consultation with the radio play jury, three were selected from six nominations for five radio plays and provided to the radio play jury (radio play authors, directors and radio play experts). The evaluation is still ongoing.

Cassandra Rising by Martin Heindel Director: Martin Heindel,Composer: Ralf Haarmann, Production: WDR

Heaven Line – Traumstadt wird zur Todesfalle by Bodo Traber Director: Bodo Traber, Dramaturgy: Natalie Szallies, Production: WDR

Der zweite Schlaf by Heinz Sommer based on the novel of Robert Harris Director: Leonhard Koppelmann, Production: HR

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR ACTUAL SF ACTIVITIES IN 2020

76 people voted in this category

Award winner	Points
Hans Frey for the first two volumes of his history of German Science Fiction, Fortschritt and Fiasko and Aufbruch in den Abgrund	211

Nominees
2	René Moreau and Hans Jürgen Kugler for the edition of Der grüne Planet – Zukunft im Klimawandel and Pandemie – Geschichten zur Zeitenwende	178
3	Torben Kuhlmann for the illustrated book Einstein – Die fantastische Reise einer Maus durch Raum and Zeit	102
4	No award – I consider none of the nominations in this category to be worthy of an award	30

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2020 FOR LONG TERM ACTIVITIES

81 people voted in this category

Award winner	Points
Freundeskreis Science Fiction Leipzig e.V. for continuous organisation of ElsterCons, even during pandemic times	156

Nominees
2	Hardy Kettlitz for Memoranda Verlag	154
3	Science Fiction Club Deutschland e.V. for promoting SF literature for 65 years	137
4	Dieter von Reeken for his services to classic German SF and the history of German SF	115
5	Jörg Weigand for his tireless support also of young authors	103
6	Rico Gehrke and Peggy Weber-Gehrke for supporting the SF short story through the anthologies in their Verlag für Moderne Phantastik	84
7	Ralf Peter Krämer for 50 years of engagement in the fandom from Stanislaw-Lem-Klub till Penta-Con	74
8	Christina Hacker and the Team of PRFZ club magazine SOL for their unpaid work full of energy and enthusiasm on the occasion of the 100th edition	72
9	No award – I consider none of the nominations in this category to be worthy of an award	10

For more information about the award, see the links to Wikipedia, ISFDB and the KLP Homepage.