BERMAN LITERATURE PRIZE

Berman Literature Prize is an international prize, established in 2020 through a donation by Thomas and Catharina Berman. Berman Literature Prize will reward an author whose works embody the statues of the Prize, in the spirit of the Jewish tradition and literary works aiming to explore the rich jewish culture and at the same time “exceed times and cultures” thereby striving for the universally human. Berman Literature Prize is for ten years awarded annually and the prize sum is 750 000 Swedish kronor. Berman Literature Prize was awarded for the first time in October 2021. The prize will go to an author who, regardless of background or genre, has worked in the spirit of the Jewish tradition. 

Berman Literature Prize has the following ethos and declaration of intent: 

There is more than one Jewish tradition, and the tradition that the Berman Literature Prize seeks to highlight has developed in constant dialogue with other cultures and languages. This means that for thousands of years it has preserved a rich history and literature while simultaneously encountering the languages and texts of other cultures. Tradition and renewal have interacted, giving rise to a constant critical rereading of religious texts as well as literature and songs, poetry and philosophy. This is a tradition of knowledge in which interpretation, interpretative concepts and memory are at the centre, and because of historical circumstances involving persecution and discrimination, it is often written from a marginal position and from the experience of exile. 

It is an ongoing exploratory discussion, and all the forms it takes have one thing in common: an impassioned and sincere belief in the ability of the literary text to transcend times and cultures, to let words convey experiences and thoughts between people. The aim of the Berman Literature Prize is to honour authors in recent years who, regardless of background or genre, have worked in the spirit of this tradition.