Balint Balassi Memorial Sword Award

ばりんと・ばらっしきねんのつるぎしょう

Annual literary award established in 1997 to commemorate the Hungarian poet Bálint Balassi. Honors Hungarian poets and foreign translators.

Literature awardPoetryTranslation awardInternational literature award

Established: 1997
Organizer: Balassi Bálint-emlékkard Advisory Committee (Founder: Pal Molnar, and committee members. Past laureates automatically become committee members)
Category: Research, Translation, and Scholarship
Selection Method: Recommendation
Target: Professional
Frequency: 1 per year
Announcement Period: around February
Status: Active

Description

The Balint Balassi Memorial Sword Award (Balassi Bálint-emlékkard) was established in 1997 and is awarded every February 14 in Buda (Budapest) as a literary prize. It primarily honors Hungarian poets for outstanding achievements in Hungarian-language poetry and also recognizes outstanding foreign translators of Hungarian literature (including Balassi). Laureates receive a ceremonial replica sword modeled on the saber used by 16th-century Hungarian cavalry (made by József Fazekas), a diploma, a limited-edition Herend porcelain statue, award wine, etc. The ceremony venue is traditionally the Hotel Gellért. Since 2002, recognition of foreign translators has been regularized, enhancing its international character, and since 2008, the sword is blessed in the 'Balassi Mass' before the award ceremony. The founder is journalist Pal Molnar, with early associates including Gabriella Lőcsei, József Zelnik, and András Rubovszky.

Prize

Main Prize: Ceremonial replica sword (made by József Fazekas), diploma, limited edition Herend porcelain statue, award wine

Sword (made by József Fazekas)
Diploma
Limited edition Herend porcelain statue
Award wine (with “Balassi's sword” label selected at the national tasting competition)

Selection

Selection Process

Stage	Judges	Pass Rate	Announcement
Selection (decision by the advisory committee)	Balassi Bálint-emlékkard Advisory Committee (Founder Pal Molnar et al., Gabriella Lőcsei, József Zelnik, András Rubovszky, and past laureates)	—	Winners are announced and awarded at the annual ceremony on February 14 (usually at Hotel Gellért, Buda)
Selection of foreign translators (since 2002)	Advisory committee and translation experts	—	Announced at the above ceremony
Selection of award wine (previous year's tasting competition)	Judges of the national tasting competition	—	The selected wine is labeled “Balassi's sword” and served at the ceremony
Balassi Mass (blessing)	Religious figures (bishop performing the blessing, etc.)	—	Held a few days before the ceremony, where the sword is blessed (practice since 2008)

Selection (decision by the advisory committee)

Judges Balassi Bálint-emlékkard Advisory Committee (Founder Pal Molnar et al., Gabriella Lőcsei, József Zelnik, András Rubovszky, and past laureates)

Announcement Winners are announced and awarded at the annual ceremony on February 14 (usually at Hotel Gellért, Buda)

Selection of foreign translators (since 2002)

Judges Advisory committee and translation experts

Announcement Announced at the above ceremony

Selection of award wine (previous year's tasting competition)

Judges Judges of the national tasting competition

Announcement The selected wine is labeled “Balassi's sword” and served at the ceremony

Balassi Mass (blessing)

Judges Religious figures (bishop performing the blessing, etc.)

Announcement Held a few days before the ceremony, where the sword is blessed (practice since 2008)

Criteria

Outstanding achievements in Hungarian poetry (poet category)
Excellence and cultural fidelity in translating Hungarian literature (translation category)
Literary value, creativity, poetic expression
Degree of contribution in an international context