Literature award from the university town of Marburg and the Marburg-Biedenkopf district

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The Marburg Literature Prize (with its full name Literature Prize of the university town of Marburg and the Marburg-Biedenkopf district ) was a sponsorship prize for younger German-speaking authors (up to 40 years of age) that was awarded every two years from 1980 to 2005.

The city ​​of Marburg and the district of Marburg-Biedenkopf alternated between hosting the event . The main prize was most recently endowed with 7,500 euros, the one-time regional prize with 2,500 euros. In spring 2006 the district of Marburg-Biedenkopf and the city council of Marburg announced the discontinuation of the award. The reasons given were the lack of nationwide awareness of the price and the disproportionately high total costs of 22,000 euros, according to the organizer.

Procedure of competition

The competition procedure has been revised several times over the years, most recently in 2003. After the jury received 662 applications that were difficult to cope with, the Advisory Board of the Literature Prize decided to make significant changes.

Topics or literary categories were not specified, but no dramas, radio plays or non-fiction were allowed to apply. Had to be submitted to a literary work (not in a publishing self-published ) previous years in both the presentation published was. There was an age limit of up to 40 years for applicants. In general, personal participation in the final was expected.

Only authors who had their place of residence in one of the five administrative districts of Central Hesse were eligible for the additional regional prize , which was only awarded in 2004/05 .

A three-person jury made up of experts selected from the entries - 64 in 2004/05 - a final selection of seven finalists. They were invited to present their current work to the festival audience on the crucial weekend. 45 minutes were available for the reading and subsequent discussion with the jury and the audience.

In the run-up to this, in the winter semester 2004/05 , a weekly project seminar was organized in cooperation at the Philipps University of Marburg, open to all citizens, on all the books presented and their authors. In addition, the local philosophy association “Marburg Forum” offered reviews of the works of the final round in online publications on its website, ie in a discussion room that was accessible beyond the local area. The media partner of the Marburg Literature Prize was the Hessischer Rundfunk with its second radio program .

Award winners

The winners in February 2005