Bruno-Kreisky-Preis 2022 for Robert Menasse

The Austrian politician Bruno Kreisky (1911–1990) always emphasised that he had been »formed« by reading books. Following this inspiration, the Karl Renner Institute, in cooperation with institutions of the Social Democratic Party of Austria, has been awarding the Bruno-Kreisky-Preis for Political Writing every year since 1993 to an author whose political writing advocates for freedom, equality, social justice, solidarity and tolerance.

On awarding this distinction to Robert Menasse’s latest novel Enlargement, the jury states:
»When a chronicler of the history of the European Union, which Robert Menasse has undoubtedly become, succeeds in presenting an intellectual and sophisticated yet entertaining novel, it must be considered a magnificent narrative feat considering the image of the European Union, which is often decried as being technocratic, boring and aloof. In Enlargement, Menasse combines a detailed knowledge of the subject matter with irony and a strong European spirit to form a novel that can be read as a historic textbook, a tragedy, a satire as well as a love story. This diversity within the narrated story, which is centred around Albania’s desire to join the EU, thus takes us into the fascinating inner workings of the European Union.

Two ›blood brothers,‹ bonded by an oath they made as fighters in the Polish resistance against the Communist regime, go on to make a career in politics after the Fall of the Berlin Wall. One of them becomes head of government of Poland, the other a high-ranking official of the European Commission, working on EU enlargement policies. Countless human fates are described epically and then converge in a great showdown. Despite the many ambivalences, depths and low points within these European characters and their ›politics,‹ Menasse’s second novel about Europe calls on us to enjoy the great project of a united Europe more often and to fight for it more intensively in the face of growing nationalism.«

For more information, please visit the author's Foreign Rights Website or contact the respective Rights Manager.