Israeli writer David Grossman awarded the 2026 Thomas Mann Prize, endowed with $30,000
Grossman was congratulated by the German ambassador to Israel, who called him a 'master' of multiple forms
Israeli author David Grossman is being honored as the winner of this year's Thomas Mann Prize. The prize will be presented to him on September 25 at the Theater Lübeck, in Lübeck, Germany. As part of the prize, Grossman will be endowed with roughly 30,000 dollars.
According to a statement, the 72-year-old writer will be recognized "for his narrative and essayistic work, which opens up spaces for understanding and reconciliation in times of political world disorder." In his essays, Grossman has advocated political reconciliation in the Middle East, most recently, in 2024, within his published volume entitled "Peace is the only option".
Grossman has also received praise from the German ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert. On X, Seibert said the decision was a "wise choice," calling Grossman a "master" of grand form, of documentary narrative, and of poetry.
The Thomas Mann Prize is a prestigious German literary award honoring outstanding contributions to literature. It has been awarded annually since 2010 in Lübeck and Munich. Previous winners include Juli Zeh, Jenny Erpenbeck, Jonathan Franzen, and Navid Kermani.