Hänny, 75, from Tschappina in canton Graubünden is best known for his novels Sturz (2020), Blooms Schatten (2014), Helldunkel. Ein Bilderbuch (1994), Flug (1985), Zurich, Anfang September (1980) and Ruch. Ein Bericht (1979).
His work draws inspiration from his childhood in the Graubünden mountains, growing up in Chur, the cantonal capital, and the Zurich riots of the 1980s along with their supression by police.
“His books deal with these themes, not chronologically or autobiographically, but through associations of ideas, snippets of memories and dreams, inventions and above all through pastiche, in which he appropriates world literature,” the Federal Office of Culture said in a statementExternal link on Thursday.
The culture office’s special prize for translation this year went to Maurizia Balmelli. The translator, who grew up on Lake Maggiore in southern Switzerland, has translated many works into Italian from French and English.
These include books by Martin Amis, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Emmanuel Carrère, Marie Darrieussecq, Jean Echenoz, Mary Gaitskill, Aleksandar Hemon, Ágota Kristóf, JMG Le Clézio, Ian McEwan, Cormac McCarthy, Noëlle Revaz, Yasmina Reza, Sally Rooney, Miriam Toews and Fred Vargas.
She has built “solid bridges between literatures, devoting a constant and valuable commitment to teaching and training”, said the culture office.
The Swiss Grand Prix for Literature and Special Prize for Translation are each worth CHF40,000 ($45,000) and are set to be handed over on May 25 ahead of the Solothurn Literature Festival.
Popular Stories
More
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Is artificial intelligence an advantage or a disadvantage for workers?
What is your experience with AI at work? Have you already used it? Has it helped you work better? Or has it caused you more stress, more work or caused you to lose your job? Tell us about your experiences!
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Frédéric Pajak wins top Swiss literature prize
This content was published on
Franco-Swiss author and graphic artist Frédéric Pajak has been awarded this year’s Swiss Grand Prix for Literature for his life’s work.
This content was published on
Among his best known works are the play Top Dogs and the short novel Der blaue Siphon (The Blue Siphon Bottle). Widmer is considered one of the most successful Swiss authors of the generation following Friedrich Dürrenmatt und Max Frisch. He published about 80 novels, short stories, plays and essays. Widmer’s literary career began in 1968…
This content was published on
This week Jenny launches her sixth novel, The Sky is Changing, which is also her first book written in English. Speaking to swissinfo.ch, the author described the book – set in London – as a documentary of the city following the 2005 terrorist attacks. Her prose has been praised for its detailed and precise images…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.