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 Stalewski, Some 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 |