The Heinrich Mann Prize for literary essays is awarded annually on 27 March to mark the anniversary of the birth of the renowned author. It was first awarded as a literary prize in 1953 by the former Deutsche Akademie der Künste in East Berlin.

The award recipient is selected by an independent jury composed of three members, usually including the previous year’s award holder.

The prize is endowed with 10,000 euros.

Award Ceremony 2026

our women and one man are standing on a stage, smiling; the woman in the middle is holding a large bouquet of flowers — Heinrich Mann Prize 2026: Eva Menasse, jury member and laudator, Anh-Linh Ngo, vice-president of the Akademie der Künste, Mithu M. Sanyal, award recipient, Melika Foroutan, actress (reading from texts by Heinrich Mann) and Mely Kiyak, jury member and 2025 award recipient (f.l.t.r.)
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The 2026 Heinrich Mann Prize was awarded to essayist Mithu M. Sanyal on 27 March at the Akademie der Künste on Pariser Platz. The three-member jury consisted of Omri Boehm, Mely Kiyak and Eva Menasse. According to the jury, the Akademie is honouring “one of the most prolific and original essayists of her generation” with this prize.

Award Recipients

Award Recipients since 1953

2020–2026

2010–2019

2000–2009

1990–1999

1980–1989

1970–1979

1960–1969

1953–1959