The Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis is an annual German science-fiction award. (“Preis” is the German word for “award”.) It is named after the author Kurd Laßwitz, who is also known as “the father of German science-fiction”. The award has a tradition back until 1980. In two ballots persons who are specialists on science-fiction like authors, editors, publishers and journalists vote for the best works that have been published in the previous year. Nominations are for works in German language only or for translations into German.
Here are the nominations:
Best German Science-Fiction Novel (published for the first time in 2016):
Arne Ahlert - Moonatics (Heyne)
Andreas Brandhorst - Omni (Piper)
Christopher Ecker - Der Bahnhof von Plön (Mitteldeutscher Verlag)
Marc Elsberg - Helix: Sie werden uns ersetzen (Blanvalet)
Horst Evers - Alles außer irdisch (Rowohlt)
Mathias Falke - Sternentor (Begedia)
Frank Hebben - Im Nebel kein Wort (Begedia)
Jo Koren - Vektor (Atlantis)
Karsten Kruschel - Das Universum nach Landau (Wurdack)
Jens Lubbadeh - Unsterblich (Heyne)
Gabriele Nolte - Blumen vom Mars (Create Space)
Karla Schmidt - Ein neuer Himmel für Kana (Wurdack)
Thomas Thiemeyer - Babylon (Knaur)
[The name of the publishing houses are in bracklets.]
Best German Short Prosa:
• Dirk Alt: Die Stadt der XY (in: Exodus 34)
• Gabriele Behrend: Suicide Rooms (in: Exodus 35)
• Andreas Eschbach: Acapulco! Acapulco! (in: Exodus 34)
• Marcus Hammerschmitt: Vor dem Fest oder Brief an Mathilde (in: Nova 24)
• Michael K. Iwoleit: Das Netz der Geächteten (in „Gamer“, Begedia)
• Hubert Katzmarz: Thuban (in „Zwielicht Classic 10“, CreateSpace)
• Niklas Peinecke: Emukalypse (in in „Gamer“, Begedia)
Best Foreign Science-Fiction Book (translated into German):
• James L. Cambias: Meer der Dunkelheit, Cross Cult
• Becky Chambers: Der lange Weg zu einem kleinen zornigen Planeten, Fischer Tor
• Peter Clines: Spalt, Heyne
• Cixin Liu: Die drei Sonnen, Heyne
• Sylvain Neuvel: Giants, Heyne
• Nnedi Okorafor: Lagune, Cross Cult
• Kim Stanley Robinson: Aurora, Heyne
• Adrain J. Walker: Am Ende aller Zeiten, Fischer Tor
• Jo Walton: Das Jahr des Falken, Golkonda
Best Science-Fiction Translation:
• Martina Hasse (Cixin Liu: Die drei Sonnen, Heyne)
• Bernhard Kempen (John Scalzi: Galaktische Mission, Heyne)
• Helga Parmiter (Linda Nagata: Morgengrauen, Cross Cult)
• Oliver Plaschka (Ariel S. Winter: Mr Sapien träumt vom Menschsein, Knaur)
• Karin Will (Becky Chambers: Der lange Weg zu einem kleinen zornigen Planeten, Fischer Tor)
Best Cover Art or Illustration:
• Lothar Bauer (Die Bibliothek der Tränen, Beyond Affinity)
• Lothar Bauer (Hauptsache gesund!, p. machinery)
• Lothar Bauer (Nova 24)
• Dirk Berger (Phantastisch! 63)
• Matin Frei (Vernor Vinge: Das Ende des Regenbogens, Cross Cult)
• Mark Freier (Jo Koren: Vektor, Atlantis)
• Das Illustrat (Jens Lubbadeh: Unsterblich, Heyne)
• Stas Rosin (Exodus 35)
• Greg Ruth (Nnedi Okorafor: Lagune, Cross Cult)
• Markus Vogt Exodus 34)
Best German Audio Play:
• Regine Ahrem: Schöne neue Welt (after Huxley´s novel), RBB
• Christian Hussel: Atmen, MDR
• Simon Kamphans & Matthias Lang: Pimp My Brain!, RBB
Special Award for Extraordinary Achievements(One time):
• Ralf Boldt, Sylvana Fryberg and the team of the MediKonOne for organizing the MediKonOne and the innivation of doing a crossover of medicine and science-fiction
• Thomas Braatz & Arnulf Meifert for the 1st Robert-Kraft-Symposium und the publication
• Hannes Riffel and the team of Fischer Tor und Tor-Online for the successful start
• Markus Rohde and Andreas Mergenthaler from the publishing house Cross Cult Verlag and the authors Bernd Perplies and Christian Humberg or the first official Star Trek novels in German original language.
Special Award for Extraordinary Achievements (Over years):
• Thomas Braatz, Manfred Orlowski, Sabine Seyfarth, Mario Franke and Dirk Berger for organizing the ElsterCons
• Herbert W. Franke for his lifetime achievement
• Hardy Kettlitz for all the work in the background, as an author of secondary literature and the editor of Imprints Memoranda
• Thomas Le Blanc for leading the Phantastischen Bibliothek Wetzlar (a library on speculative fiction in the city of Wetzlar) for over 30 years
