The jury described the book as a “fascinating journey into the heart of darkness”. Dorothee Elmiger received one of the most prestigious literary awards for “Die Holländerinnen” – just in time for her 40th birthday.
The German Book Prize for 2025 goes to author Dorothee Elmiger for Die Holländerinnen (The Dutch Women). “This novel is a milestone,” the jury said in its statement. Elmiger's style is both detached and captivating, and the book is “a fascinating journey into the heart of darkness.” The Swiss author, who lives in New York, was already considered a favourite. And she will receive the award on her 40th birthday.What Is the Novel About?
Die Holländerinnen is about a collective transgression in the rainforest of South America. The eerie story is told largely in indirect speech. In a poetry lecture, an author recounts her journey into the jungle as part of a theatre group. The group is following in the footsteps of two Dutch backpackers who actually disappeared there years ago. But the project gets completely out of hand: the group is almost swallowed up by the jungle and tells disturbing stories.
Is the Book Really Worthy of an Award?
Yes, definitely. It's impossible to put down, even though much remains unclear: nothing is told to the end, nothing is explained. The only thing that is concrete is the uncertainty. The language perfectly reflects this eeriness: sentences twist like climbing plants around a dark centre, the subjunctive distances the events from reality.“Horror naturally lies outside language,” writes Elmiger, adding that it is, “if you like, its opposite.” She succeeds masterfully in portraying this.
Who Will Come Away Empty-Handed?
The German Book Prize is considered one of the most important awards in the industry and is traditionally presented on the day before the Frankfurt Book Fair opens. In addition to Elmiger, five other candidates were shortlisted: Kaleb Erdmann (Die Ausweichschule), Jehona Kicaj (ë), Thomas Melle (Haus zur Sonne), Fiona Sironic (Am Samstag gehen die Mädchen in den Wald und jagen Sachen in die Luft) and Christine Wunnicke (Wachs).In recent weeks, various favourites had been mentioned in the media, including Elmiger. The Swiss author was already on the shortlist for the Swiss and German Book Prizes with her last book, Aus der Zuckerfabrik (From the Sugar Factory). In 2022, she was accepted into the German Academy for Language and Literature.
Elmiger Wanted to Give Up While Writing
Her book Die Holländerinnen came about because she wanted to reflect on various forms of violence, control and dominance, Elmiger said in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Wochenzeitung in September. “I realised that my text is very dark, even desperate. That's not really who I am. Despite everything, I am very confident.”Elmiger said she almost gave up while writing Die Holländerinnen. For three or four years, she repeatedly discarded everything she wrote. “It got worse and worse, until I thought: I have to give up writing, this phase of my life is now over.” Then it was as if a handbrake had suddenly been released. She describes the final sprint as “almost feverish writing”.
Jury Reviewed 229 Novels
For this year's book prize, the jury reviewed 229 German-language novels published between October 2024 and mid-September 2025. Initially, 20 books were selected for the longlist, which was then narrowed down to a shortlist of six titles.The book prize is worth a total of €37,500: Elmiger will receive €25,000, and the other authors on the shortlist will each receive €2,500. Last year, the award went to Martina Hefter for her novel Hey guten Morgen, wie geht es dir? (Hey, good morning, how are you?).
10/2025