Stockholm, October 9, 2025:
The Nobel Prize in Literature 2025 has been awarded to Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”
Krasznahorkai is hailed as a master of the modern epic, writing long, intense sentences that explore chaos, despair, and the fragile beauty of human endurance. His works carry the Central European literary legacy, connecting writers like Franz Kafka and Thomas Bernhard through themes of absurdity, decay, and spiritual searching.
Among his most acclaimed novels are:
Satantango (1985) – a dark portrait of a collapsing Hungarian village, adapted into a 7-hour film by Béla Tarr.
The Melancholy of Resistance (1989) – a surreal narrative of power and madness.
War and War (1999) – an exploration of language, time, and destiny.
Seiobo There Below (2008) – meditating on art’s eternal nature across cultures.
The Swedish Academy praised him for creating worlds that are both terrifying and transcendent, reminding readers that art remains a force of meaning even amid chaos.
With this honor, László Krasznahorkai joins the distinguished line of literary giants whose work continues to redefine the boundaries of storytelling.
