Samfundet De Nio


Samfundet De Nio is a Swedish literary society founded on 14 February 1913 in Stockholm by a testamentary donation from writer Lotten von Kraemer. The society has nine members who are elected for life. Its purpose is to promote Swedish literature, peace and women's issues. It mainly presents a number of literary awards. It was started as an alternative to the Swedish Academy and is often compared to its more noted cousin.

Membership

Four seats are always held by women and four by men. Seat number one, the chair, alternates between men and women.

Current members

Original members: Viktor Almquist, Selma Lagerlöf, Karl Wåhlin, Ellen Key, Erik Hedén, Kerstin Hård af Segerstad, Göran Björkman, Anna-Maria Roos, John Landquist
Some notable members over the years have been Astrid Lindgren, Elin Wägner, Marika Stiernstedt, Karin Boye, Hjalmar Gullberg, Karl Vennberg, Gunnel Vallquist, Kerstin Ekman, Sara Lidman, Birgitta Trotzig, Knut Ahnlund and Anders Olsson.

Prizes

  • Samfundet De Nios stora pris, the main prize to Swedish literary writers, has been awarded annually since 1921.
  • * Originally 10,000 Swedish krona. it is 250 000 SEK.
  • Lotten von Kraemer's prize
  • De Nios translator's prize
  • Stina Aronson's prize
  • John Landquist's prize
  • Karl Vennberg's prize
  • De Nios Winter prize
  • De Nios Astrid Lindgren prize
  • Anders and Veronica Öhman's prize
  • De Nios Lyric poetry prize
  • De Nios Special prizes

Winners of the Grand Prize

The annual publication Vår Tid was published 1916–1925 and 1930. Svensk Litteraturtidskrift was published from 1938 to 1983. It contained essays, reviews and other texts about Swedish literature. Editors have included Olle Holmberg, Algot Werin and Knut Ahnlund. Samfundet De Nio also published Artes together with the Swedish Academy, Royal Swedish Academy of Music and the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts. Since 2003 they publish a literary calendar together with Norstedts Förlag.