Hungarian Author László Krasznahorkai Wins 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature for His Visionary Oeuvre

Stockholm [Sweden], October 9, 2025: The 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai for his “compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art,” the Swedish Academy announced on Thursday.

Krasznahorkai’s celebrated work “Herscht 07769” has been hailed as a remarkable modern German novel for its vivid portrayal of social unrest in contemporary Germany. The Academy praised the book for its “credible depiction of a small town in Thuringen afflicted by anarchy, murder, and arson,” while also weaving in the enduring influence of Johann Sebastian Bach’s legacy. Described as “a novel written in a single breath,” it captures the paradoxical coexistence of violence and beauty.

Born in 1954 in Gyula, a small town near Hungary’s border with Romania, Krasznahorkai rose to fame with his debut novel “Satantango” (1985), a groundbreaking literary achievement later adapted into a film. His writing, often aligned with the Central European literary tradition from Kafka to Thomas Bernhard, is marked by its absurdist and grotesque undertones.

Drawing from his travels in Asia, especially Mongolia and China, Krasznahorkai authored works such as “The Prisoner of Urga” and “Destruction and Sorrow Beneath the Heavens.” The late American writer Susan Sontag once described him as “the contemporary master of the apocalypse,” noting that his novels often depict the struggles of ordinary people seeking meaning in a chaotic, godless world.

The Nobel Prize in Literature, regarded as the highest recognition for literary excellence, celebrates authors who challenge, inspire, and elevate global literature. Since its inception in 1901, it has been awarded 117 times to 121 laureates, encompassing works in more than 20 languages — including Bengali.

Among past recipients are Rabindranath Tagore, who received the honor in 1913 for his profoundly beautiful and sensitive verse, and Toni Morrison, the first African American woman to win the prize in 1993. Albert Camus, who explored existentialism and moral choices in uncertain times, was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1957.