Heike Geißler
© Heike Steinweg
Heike Geißler
Heike Geißler, born in Riesa in 1977, is an author and translator. With Suhrkamp Verlag, she has published the novel Die Woche, the essay Verzweifelungen, which was awarded the Bavarian Book Prize in 2025, and the novel Michaela Kohlhaas. She has received numerous fellowships and awards for her oeuvre, most recently the Literary Prize of the State of Saxony in 2026. She lives and works in Leipzig.
Heike Geißler, born in Riesa in 1977, is an author and translator. With Suhrkamp Verlag, she has published the novel Die Woche, the essay Verzweifelungen, which was awarded the Bavarian Book Prize in 2025, and the novel Michaela Kohlhaas. She has received numerous fellowships and awards for her oeuvre, most recently the Literary Prize of the State of Saxony in 2026. She lives and works in Leipzig.
Awards (selection)
Literary Prize of the State of Saxony 2026
Bavarian Book Prize 2025
Heinrich Böll Prize 2025
Klopstock Prize for New Literature 2025
Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse (shortlist) 2022 for Die Woche
Bavarian Book Prize 2025
Heinrich Böll Prize 2025
Klopstock Prize for New Literature 2025
Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse (shortlist) 2022 for Die Woche
Literary Prize of the State of Saxony 2026
Bavarian Book Prize 2025
Heinrich Böll Prize 2025
Klopstock Prize for New Literature 2025
Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse (shortlist) 2022 for Die Woche
Bavarian Book Prize 2025
Heinrich Böll Prize 2025
Klopstock Prize for New Literature 2025
Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse (shortlist) 2022 for Die Woche
PUBLICATIONS
Latest first
Year of Publication: 2026
Heike GeißlerYear of Publication: 2026
Michaela Kohlhaas
»His sense of justice made him into a robber and a murderer.« That’s how Heinrich von Kleist describes the horse dealer Michael Kohlhaas in his eponymous novella, a man who goes on a bloody rampage...
Rights sold to:
Netherlands (Het Balanseer)
Year of Publication: 2025
Heike GeißlerYear of Publication: 2025
Despairs
A young girl stands in front of her swimming teacher and begs to finally be put in the advanced group. Yet she can hardly swim at all without help. Her teacher is merciless, the girl descends into despair.
Thirty years later, Heike Geißler is grown up but still despairing – but she's determined to face up to this feeling. What is wrong – with gender roles, heroism, militarisation?...
Year of Publication: 2022
Heike GeißlerYear of Publication: 2022
The Week
»Politics, Europe, the present, everyday life – no one can tell you that it is of no consequence,« the narrator calls out to her friend Constance. Together they are the...
Rights sold to:
Netherlands (Het Balanseer)
DISCOVER
News
Heike Geißler Receives the 2026 Literary Prize of the State of Saxony
The author received the award in recognition of her oeuvre.News
Heike Geißler wins the Bavarian Book Prize 2025
Heike Geißler has won the Bavarian Book Prize 2025 in the non-fiction category for her book DespairsNews