Manny Ita –
David Grossman has been named the recipient of the 2026 Thomas Mann Prize, one of Germany’s most respected literary honours.
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on September 25 at the Theater Lübeck in Lübeck, where the acclaimed Israeli writer will receive prize money worth approximately $30,000.
Organisers said Grossman was selected for his literary and essayistic works, which they described as creating “spaces for understanding and reconciliation” during periods of political instability and global tension.
The 72-year-old author has long been recognised for addressing issues surrounding conflict, peace and coexistence in the Middle East through both fiction and non-fiction writings. His recent essays, including his 2024 publication Peace is the Only Option, strongly advocated political dialogue and reconciliation in the region.
German ambassador to Israel Steffen Seibert praised the decision, describing Grossman as a master storyteller skilled in long-form literature, documentary-style narrative and poetry.
The Thomas Mann Prize, named after Nobel Prize-winning German novelist Thomas Mann, has been awarded annually since 2010 in Lübeck and Munich. Previous recipients include Juli Zeh, Jenny Erpenbeck, Jonathan Franzen and Navid Kermani.
