Leipzig Book Fair Prize (Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse)
1 appearances
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Edition 4 (2008) Winner
Clemens Meyer
クレメンス・マイヤー
Clemens Meyer
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1977-10-03 （Halle an der Saale, Saxony-Anhalt, East Germany）
- Nationality
- German
- Languages
- German
- Residence History
- Halle an der Saale → Leipzig (studies)
Career
- Occupations
- Author, Screenwriter
- Active Years
- 2000-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| German Institute for Literature (Leipzig) | — | — | — | — | Germany |
German Institute for Literature (Leipzig)
Country:
Germany
Studies were interrupted by a spell in youth detention; did not complete a conventional degree
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Leipzig Book Fair Prize | Die Nacht, die Lichter (All the Lights) | — | Leipzig Book Fair | Winner |
| 2006 | Rheingau Literatur Preis | Als wir träumten (As We Were Dreaming) | — | Rheingau Literature Foundation | Winner |
| 2014 | Bremer Literaturpreis | Im Stein (Bricks and Mortar) | — | Bremer Literature Foundation | Winner |
| 2015 | German Screenplay Award | In the Aisles (screenplay) | — | German Screenplay Award (organizers) | Winner |
| 2013 | Deutsche Buchpreis (German Book Prize) | Im Stein (Bricks and Mortar) | — | Deutsche Buchpreis Jury | Shortlisted |
| 2024 | Deutsche Buchpreis (German Book Prize) | Die Projektoren | — | Deutsche Buchpreis Jury | Shortlisted |
Leipzig Book Fair Prize
2008
Work:
Die Nacht, die Lichter (All the Lights)
Organization:
Leipzig Book Fair
Result:
Winner
Rheingau Literatur Preis
2006
Work:
Als wir träumten (As We Were Dreaming)
Organization:
Rheingau Literature Foundation
Result:
Winner
Bremer Literaturpreis
2014
Work:
Im Stein (Bricks and Mortar)
Organization:
Bremer Literature Foundation
Result:
Winner
German Screenplay Award
2015
Work:
In the Aisles (screenplay)
Organization:
German Screenplay Award (organizers)
Result:
Winner
Deutsche Buchpreis (German Book Prize)
2013
Work:
Im Stein (Bricks and Mortar)
Organization:
Deutsche Buchpreis Jury
Result:
Shortlisted
Deutsche Buchpreis (German Book Prize)
2024
Work:
Die Projektoren
Organization:
Deutsche Buchpreis Jury
Result:
Shortlisted
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Als wir träumten (As We Were Dreaming)
2006 Novel (coming-of-age)A multi-voiced coming-of-age novel about a group of friends in East Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall who drift into crime and hardship.
Post-reunification East GermanyYouthViolence and marginality
Adaptations
- [Film] Als wir träumten (film) (2015)
Translations
- Translated into English by Katy Derbyshire (While We Were Dreaming)
Die Nacht, die Lichter (All the Lights)
2008 Short stories / collectionA collection of fragmented stories and vignettes exploring urban loneliness, violence and the absurdities of everyday life.
Urban lifeAlienationViolence
Translations
- Translated into English by Katy Derbyshire (All the Lights)
Im Stein (Bricks and Mortar)
2013 NovelA lyrical novel focusing on aging characters, memory, loss and the relationship between city and architecture.
MemoryLossCity and architecture
Translations
- Translated into English by Katy Derbyshire (Bricks and Mortar)
Die stillen Trabanten (Dark Satellites)
2017 Short story collectionA set of short stories portraying people on the margins of society.
MarginalityLonelinessDefamiliarization of the everyday
Translations
- Translated into English by Katy Derbyshire (Dark Satellites)
Die Projektoren
2024 NovelA recent novel published in 2024 that attracted significant attention at publication.
Contemporary societyLiterary institutions and reception
Bibliography
- Als wir träumten (2006) — As We Were Dreaming
- Die Nacht, die Lichter (2008) — All the Lights
- Gewalten (2010) — Acts of Violence
- Im Stein (2013) — Bricks and Mortar
- Die stillen Trabanten (2017) — Dark Satellites
- Die Projektoren (2024)
- Zwei Himmelhunde (with Claudius Nießen, 2016)
Adaptations
- Als wir träumten — film adaptation (2015)
- In the Aisles — film (screenplay contribution, 2018)
Translations of Works
- Als wir träumten → While We Were Dreaming (English translation by Katy Derbyshire)
- Im Stein → Bricks and Mortar (English translation by Katy Derbyshire)
- Die Nacht, die Lichter → All the Lights (English translation by Katy Derbyshire)
- Die stillen Trabanten → Dark Satellites (English translation by Katy Derbyshire)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Raw, forceful realist styleFragmentary and rhythmic compositionFrequent use of dialogue and short vignettes
- Recurring Motifs
- Post‑East‑German transformationViolence and ruptures in the everydayMarginalized youth
Legacy
Clemens Meyer is considered one of contemporary Germany's significant writers from the East German context. He is praised for his raw yet subtle depictions of post‑reunification society and marginal figures. His work has received major national prizes, been adapted for film, and reached international readers through translations.
In Popular Culture
- His novels and screenwriting have influenced contemporary German film adaptations.
Quotes
-
After failing to win the German Book Prize, he called the jury "verdammte Wichser" (literally "bloody wankers") and left the ceremony.
Source: News reports (e.g. Frankfurter Rundschau), 2024 (2024)
Trivia
- Served time in a youth detention center in his youth.
- Worked as a security guard, forklift driver and construction worker before becoming a published novelist.
- His debut novel Als wir träumten was adapted into a film in 2015.
- In 2024 he made headlines for insulting the German Book Prize jury and leaving the award ceremony after being shortlisted but not winning.