Hermann Kesten Prize

The Hermann Kesten Prize, formally the Hermann Kesten Medal, is a German literary award presented annually for outstanding efforts in support of persecuted writers, on behalf of PEN Centre Germany according to the principles of the Charter of International PEN. In 1985, the PEN Center of the Federal Republic of Germany awarded the first Hermann Kesten Medal. It is named in honor of the German novelist and dramatist Hermann Kesten.
Until 1993, it was awarded every two years, since 1994 it has been given annually. As of 2025, the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts has endowed the award with a prize of.
The award is one of many PEN awards sponsored by International PEN affiliates in over 145 PEN centres around the world.

Prize winners

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