The finalists for the 2021 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 German language editions of Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson, Goldilocks by Laura Lam, The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, and Network Effect by Martha Wells are some of the finalists for Best SF in German Translation.

And the translators of The Better Part of Valor by Tanya Huff, The Carhullan Army by Sarah Hall, and The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley are among the nominees in the Best Translator category.

The winners will be announced on September 17, 2022, at the ElsterCon at the Haus des Buches (House of the Book) in Leipzig.

BEST GERMAN LANGUAGE SF NOVEL FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2021

• Mars Discovery (KI Goliath, Book 3) by Andreas Brandhorst
• Dave by Raphaela Edelbauer
• Stille zwischen den Sternen (Silence between the Stars) by Sven Haupt
• Nanopark by Uwe Hermann
• Von Zeit zu Zeit (From time to time) by Hans Jürgen Kugler
• Der Koloss aus dem Orbit (The colossus from orbit) by Jacqueline Montemurri
• Klima-Korrektur-Konzern (Climate-Correction-Corporation) by Uwe Post
• Memories of Summer – Wer bist du ohne Vergangenheit? (Memories of Summer – Who are you without your past?) by Janna Ruth
• Anarchie Deco (Anarchy Deco) by Judith and Christian Vogt
• Der vierte Mond (The Fourth Moon) by Kathleen Weise

BEST GERMAN LANGUAGE SF STORY FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2021

• “Der stille Besucher” (The Silent Visitor) by Galax Acheronian in Singularitätsebenen (Singularity Levels), edited by Peggy Weber-Gehrke
• “Notizen zur Beobachtung von Schildkröten nach einer Bruchlandung” (Notes on observing turtles after a crash landing) by Lisa Jenny Krieg in exodus 42, edited by René Moreau, Heinz Wipperfürth and Hans Jürgen Kugler
• “Davida” by Hans Jürgen Kugler in Macht und Wort (Power and Word), edited by René Moreau and Hans Jürgen Kugler
• “Salvation” by Sybille Lengauer in Singularitätsebenen (Singularity Levels), edited by Peggy Weber-Gehrke
• “Das Universum ohne Eisbärin” (The universe without a female polar bear) by Aiki Mira in c’t Magazin 5/2021
• “Utopie27” (Utopia 27) by Aiki Mira in Am Anfang war das Bild (In the beginning, there was the image), edited by Uli Bendick, Aiki Mira and Mario Franke
• “Vorsicht Synthetisches Leben!” (Careful, synthetic life!) by Aiki Mira in exodus 43, edited by René Moreau, Heinz Wipperfürth and Hans Jürgen Kugler
• “Regenmädchen” (Rain Girl) by Markus Müller in Nova 30, edited by Michael K. Iwoleit and Michael Haitel
• “Onkel Nate oder die hohe Kunst, aus dem Fenster zu schauen” (Uncle Nate or the high art of looking out of the window) by Janika Rehak in Am Anfang war das Bild (In the beginning, there was the image), edited by Uli Bendick, Aiki Mira and Mario Franke
• “Das Ding” (The Thing) by Norbert Stöbe in exodus 43, edited by René Moreau, Heinz Wipperfürth and Hans Jürgen Kugler

BEST SF IN GERMAN TRANSLATION FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2021

• Klara und die Sonne (Klara and the Sun) by Kazuo Ishiguro
• Erde 0 (The Space Between Worlds) by Micaiah Johnson
• Das ferne Licht der Sterne (Goldilocks) by Laura Lam
• Die Anomalie (L’anomalie) by Hervé Tellier
• Das Ministerium für die Zukunft (The Ministry for the Future) by Kim Stanley Robinson
• Things from the Flood (Flodskörden) by Simon Stålenhag
• Der Astronaut (Project Hail Mary) by Andy Weir
• Der Netzwerkeffekt (Network Effect) by Martha Wells

BEST TRANSLATOR FOR A WORK OF SF FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2021

• Pia Biundo for Das Licht der Hohlwelt (Una nueva consciencia) by Carlos Suchowolski
• Pia Biundo for “Glühwürmchen” (Luciémagas) by Vlad Hernández in Am Anfang war das Bild (In the beginning, there was the image), edited by Uli Bendick, Aiki Mira and Mario Franke
• Frank Böhmert for Der lange Nachmittag der Erde (Hothouse) by Brian W. Aldiss
• Oliver Hoffmann for Die Klügere gibt nach (The Better Part of Valor) by Tanya Huff
• Sophia Lindsay for Die Töchter des Nordens (The Carhullan Army) by Sarah Hall
• Helga Parmiter for Der Sterne Zahl (The Stars are Legion) by Kameron Hurley

BEST COVER FOR A WORK OF SF FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2021

• Uli Bendick and Mario Franke for the cover of Diagnose F: Science Fiction trifft Psyche (Diagnosis F: Science fiction meets the psyche), edited by Uli Bendick and Michael Tinnefeld
• Dirk Berger for the cover of phantastisch 84, edited by Klaus Bollhöfener
• Arndt Drechsler-Zakrzewski for the cover of phantastisch 83, edited by Klaus Bollhöfener
• Timo Kümmel for the cover of phantastisch 81, edited by Klaus Bollhöfener
• Simon Lejeune for the cover of exodus 42, edited by René Moreau, Heinz Wipperfürth and Hans Jürgen Kugler
• Rainer Schorm for the cover of Fantastische Wirklichkeiten (Fantastic Realities), edited by Jörg Weigand
• Hubert Schweizer for the cover of exodus 43, edited by René Moreau, Heinz Wipperfürth and Hans Jürgen Kugler
• Michael Vogt for the cover of Macht und Wort (Power and Word), edited by René Moreau and Hans Jürgen Kugler
• Michael Vogt for the cover of phantastisch 82, edited by Klaus Bollhöfener

BEST GERMAN LANGUAGE SF AUDIO DRAMA FIRST BROADCAST IN 2021

• Dein haploides Herz (Your haploid Heart) by Martin Heindel, based on the story by James Tiptree Jr, broadcast by WDR
• Das neue Vertrauen (The new trust) by Aline Bender and Alex Schaad, based on a short film by Alex and Dimitri Schaad, broadcast by BR
• r_crusoe^TM by Christian Wittmann and Georg Falk-Huber, broadcast by Deutschlandfunk
• Der Untergang der Stadt Passau (The demise of the city of Passau) by Bernadette Sonnenbichler, based on a novel by Carl Amery, broadcast by BR

SPECIAL AWARD FOR ONE-TIME EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES IN THE FIELD OF SF 2021

• René Moreau and Hans Jürgen Kugler for the anthology Macht und Wort (Power and Word)
• Uli Bendick, Aiki Mira and Mario Franke for the anthology Am Anfang war das Bild (In the beginning, there was the image)
• Monika Niehaus for the collection Geschichten aus Donnas Kaschemme (Stories from Donna’s disreputable bar)
• Uli Bendick and Michael Tinnefeld for the anthology Diagnose F: Science Fiction trifft Psyche (Diagnosis F: Science fiction meets the psyche)

SPECIAL AWARD FOR LONG-TIME EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES IN THE FIELD OF SF 2021

• Thomas Hofmann for 70 issues of the fanzine Neuer Stern (New Star) as well as his graphic work and support for fandom
• Ralf P. Krämer for a lifetime of running SF-Clubs and organising cons, particularly Penta-Con
• Franz Rottensteiner for a lifetime of editing, reviewing and writing essays about SF
• Jörg Weigand for a lifetime of writing and editing SF and supporting young writers

[Thanks to Cora Buhlert for the story and the translations.]