Kurd Laßwitz Award 2023 Finalists

The finalists for the 2023 Kurd Laßwitz Preis were announced on March 15. The award, named after German author Kurd Laßwitz, is given to works written in or translated into the German language and published during the previous year.

The ballot was compiled from 510 nominations submitted by 81 eligible voters plus 135 evaluations and comments from the pre-selection committee. Over 260 eligible voters will have until mid-April to vote on all the categories except for translation and radio play, which a jury of experts will judge.

The award ceremony will take place during MetropolCon, to be held May 18-20 in Berlin.

Best German SF Novel first published in 2022

From 150 nomination proposals for 50 novels, the eleven most nominated were selected in consultation with the pre-selection committee:

Kris Brynn, A.R.T. – Coup zwischen den Sternen   Knaur
Theresa Hannig, Pantopia   Fischer Tor
Sven Haupt, Wo beginnt die Nacht   Eridanus
Lisa J. Krieg, Drei Phasen der Entwurzelung – Oder: Die Liebe der Schildkröten   Wortschatten
P.M. [= Hans Widmer]Die Leitung – Ein Libretto   Hirnkost
Aiki Mira, Neongrau – Game Over im Neurosubstrat   Polarise
Aiki Mira, Titans Kinder   p.machinery
Jacqueline Montemurri, Der verbotene Planet   Plan9
Brandon Q. Morris, Die letzte Kosmonautin   Fischer Tor
Jol Rosenberg, Das Geflecht – An der Grenze   OhneOhren
Nils Westerboer, Athos 2643   Klett-Cotta Hobbit Presse

Best German SF Story first published in 2022

Out of 130 nomination proposals for 69 short stories, novelettes and novellas, the ten most nominated were selected in consultation with the pre-selection committee:

C.M. Dyrnberg, Fast Forwardin: N.N. (ed.): Nova 31, p.machinery
Christoph Grimm, Die Summe aller Teilein: Christoph Grimm (ed.): Alien Contagium, Eridanus
Uwe Hermann, Die Nachrichtenmacherin: René Moreau, Hans Jürgen Kugler and Heinz Wipperfürth (ed.): Exodus 44, Exodus Selbstverlag
Michael K. Iwoleit, Briefe an eine imaginäre Frauin: N.N. (ed.): Nova 31, p.machinery
Thorsten Küper, Hayes‘ Töchter und Söhnein: Janika Rehak and Yvonne Tunnat (ed.): Der Tod kommt auf Zahnrädern, Amrûn
Aiki Mira, Digital Detoxin: Sylvana Freyberg and Uwe Post (ed.): Future Fiction Magazine 02/22, FFM Selbstverlag
Aiki Mira, Die Grenze der Weltin: René Moreau, Hans Jürgen Kugler and Heinz Wipperfürth (ed.): Exodus 44, Exodus Selbstverlag
Aiki Mira, Die Zukunftin: Janika Rehak and Yvonne Tunnat (ed.): Der Tod kommt auf Zahnrädern, Amrûn
Leszek StalewskiSome Time in Mozambiquein: René Moreau, Hans Jürgen Kugler and Heinz Wipperfürth (ed.): Exodus 45, Exodus Selbstverlag
Yvonne Tunnat, Morsche Hautin: Janika Rehak and Yvonne Tunnat (ed.): Der Tod kommt auf Zahnrädern, Amrûn

Best non-german SF Work translated first time in 2022

From 51 nomination proposals for 23 foreign works, the eight most nominated were selected in consultation with the pre-selection committee:

Becky Chambers, Die Galaxie und das Licht darin (The Galaxy and the Ground Within) (Wayfarer, Vol. 4)   Fischer Tor
Jennifer Egan, Candy Haus (Candy House)   S.Fischer
Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, Verlorene der Zeiten (This Is How You Lose the Time War)   Piper
N.K. Jemisin, Die Wächterinnen von New York (The City We Became) (The Big Cities, Vol. 1)   Tropen
Mary Robinette Kowal, Die Berechnung der Sterne (The Calculating Stars) (Lady Astronaut, Vol. 1)   Piper
Arkady Martine, Am Abgrund des Krieges (A Desolation Called Peace) (Teixcalaan, Vol. 2)   Heyne
Adrian Tchaikovsky, Die Scherben der Erde (The Shards of Earth) (Architekten, Vol. 1)   Heyne
Tade Thompson, Fern vom Licht des Himmels (Far from the Light of Heaven)   Golkonda

Best Translation of SF into German, first published in 2022

Out of 17 nomination proposals for 10 translations, six were selected in consultation with the pre-selection committee and are available for the translation jury to choose from:

Eva Bauche-Eppers for the translation of
Jeff VanderMeer, Veniss Underground(Veniss Underground)   Wandler
Horst Illmer for the new translation of the interviews with L. Ron Hubbard, Theodore Sturgeon, and Stephen King
in: 
Charles Platt, Weltenschöpfer, Vol. 3 (Dream Makers)   Memoranda
Bernhard Kempen for the translation of
Dan Frey, Future – Die Zukunft gehört dir (The Future is Yours)  Heyne
Claudia Kern for the translation of
Ada Palmer, Dem Blitz zu nah (Too Like the Lightning) (Terra Ignota, Vol. 1)   Panini
Matita Leng for the new translation of the interviews with Andre Norton and Joan D. Vinge
in: Charles Platt, Weltenschöpfer, Vol. 3 (Dream Makers)   Memoranda
Simon Weinert for the translation of
Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, Verlorene der Zeiten(This Is How You Lose the Time War)   Piper

Best SF Art (Cover, Illustration) related to a German edition in 2022

From 66 nomination proposals for 29 cover graphics, the eight most nominated were selected in consultation with the pre-selection committee:

Michael Böhme for the cover art ofRené Moreau, Hans Jürgen Kugler and Heinz Wipperfürth (ed.): Exodus 45   Exodus Selbstverlag
Arndt Drechsler-Zakrzewski for the cover art series of
Perry Rhodan – Atlantis   VPM (12 volumes)
Jan Hoffmann for the cover art of
Klaus Bollhöfener (ed.): phantastisch! 88   Atlantis
Detlef Klewer for the cover art ofChristoph Grimm (ed.): Weltenportal Nr. 3   Weltenportal Selbstverlag
Per Prada for the cover art ofBernd Schuh, Irre real – 49 seltsame Begebenheiten   p.machinery
Alexander Rommel for the cover art ofSylvana Freyberg and Uwe Post (ed.): Future Fiction Magazine 03/22 FFM Selbstverlag
Rainer Schorm for the cover art of
Monika Niehaus, Austern im Halbschlaf   p.machinery
Thomas Thiemeyer for the cover art of
René Moreau, Hans Jürgen Kugler and Heinz Wipperfürth (ed.): exodus 44  Exodus Selbstverlag

Best German SF Radio Play first broadcasted in 2022

From 13 nomination proposals for seven radio plays, the seven most nominated were selected and are available for the radio play jury to choose from:

Animate byChris Salter based on the comics of Kate Story; Director: Chris Salter and Anouschka Trocker, Composer: Caterina Barbieri, Limpe Fuchs and Sam Slater, Production: DLFK
Für immer wir alle zusammen byThilo Reffert; Director: Stefan Kanis, Composer: Michael Hinze, Editor: Thomas Fitz, Production: MDR/SR (2035 – Die Zukunft beginnt jetzt, part 3)
Marie Ka Ih – Schluss mit Gurkensalat byLiza Szabo; Director: Claudia Johanna Leis, Composer: Gilda Razani and Hans Hermann Wanning, Editor: Ulla Illerhaus, Production: WDR
Die Nacht war bleich, die Lichter blinkten byEmma Braslavsky based on her novel; Director and Composer: Lorenz Schuster, Editor: Katarina Agathos, Production: BR
Pyramidenkorrektur byTom Heithoff; Director and Composer: Tom Heithoff, Editor: Cordula Huth, Production: HR
Rückwärts-Hannah byMartin Heindel; Director: Martin Heindel, Composer: Hans Fuss, Production: BR (2035 – Die Zukunft beginnt jetzt, part 2)
Unter Drohnen byTim Staffel; Director: Tim Staffel, Composer: Alexandra Holtsch, Editor: Natalie Szallies, Dramaturgy: Hannah Georgi, Production: WDR

Best German Non-fiction Texts related to SF first published in 2022

Out of 26 nomination proposals for 15 non-fiction texts, the three most nominated were selected in consultation with the pre-selection committee:

Hardy Kettlitz and Melanie Wylutzki (ed.), Das Science Fiction Jahr 2022   Hirnkost
Aiki Mira, Was ist Queer*SF? Mehr als nur Science Fiction!   Tor Online
Jörg Weigand, Autoren der fantastischen Literatur. Ein Leitfaden durch die deutschsprachige Sekundärliteratur – Monografien, Erinnerungen und Festschriften   p.machinery

Special Achievement Award for actual SF activities in 2022

Out of 22 nomination proposals for ten actual sf activities, the six most nominated were selected in consultation with the pre-selection committee:

Wolfgang Both, Mario Franke and Ralf Neukirchen
for »SF in DDR« as part of the exhibition Leseland DDR
Christoph Grimm
for the edition of Weltenportal magazine
Christoph Grimm and Jana Hoffhenke
for publication of the anthology Alien Contagium
Michael Haitel and Thomas Franke
for new edition of Die Gelehrtenrepublik by Arno Schmidt as splendid volume
Uwe Post and Sylvana Freyberg
for the edition of Future Fiction Magazine
Janika Rehak, Yvonne Tunnat and Jürgen Eglseer
for publication of the anthology Der Tod kommt auf Zahnrädern

Special Achievement Award 2022 for long term activities

From 35 nomination proposals for 20 long term sf activities, the six most nominated were selected in consultation with the preselection committee:

Olaf Brill and Michael Vogt
for their robot fairy tale series Ein seltsamer Tag
Hermke Eibach, Gerd Eibach and Bernhard Sterner
for the bookstore Hermkes Romanboutique and its events since four decades
Rico Gehrke (posthumously)and Peggy Weber-Gehrke
for their promotion of German science fiction short story
Christian Hoffmann and Udo Klotz
for the edition of !Time Machine magazine
Horst Tröster
for his commitment to science fiction audio play as a reviewer, textbook author, editor and jury chairman
Jörg Weigand
for his life’s work as an author, publisher and promoter of young talents

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