Prize for Comic Literature (Brückner-Kühner Foundation / Kassel Literature Prize for Grotesque Humor)

The Brückner-Kühner Foundation, in cooperation with the City of Kassel, annually awards the “Promotional Prize for Comic Literature” as part of the Kassel Literature Prize for Grotesque Humor. The prize, endowed with €3,000, is aimed at authors who write in German and are in an early phase of their literary careers. Supported are already published works – ranging from prose and dramas to picture or audiobooks and electronic publication formats – characterized by a high artistic level and a comic nature. An independent jury evaluates each submission based on artistic quality, comic content, and career stage. Publishers may nominate one author per edition; self-nominations are excluded.

Proposals must be submitted by June 30, 2026, including three review copies per title along with supplementary materials (biobibliography, reviews, interviews, etc., preferably digital). In addition to prose, plays, screenplays, and multimedia formats are eligible. The jury considers the entire body of work, not just a single publication. Previous nominees are welcome, provided the prize has not yet been awarded. The announcement of the laureates will take place in spring 2027 during the Kassel literature event. The promotional prize makes an important contribution to the visibility of young voices in the field of comic literature and opens new impulses for the cross-genre exploration of grotesque humor.