László Krasznahorkai Wins 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature for His Visionary and Apocalyptic Works
Stockholm, October 9, 2025: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Thursday announced that Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”
Born in 1954 near Hungary’s Romanian border, Krasznahorkai rose to prominence with his debut novel Sátántangó (1985), later translated into English in 2012 as Satantango. The book, widely regarded as a modern classic, marked the beginning of a literary career defined by deeply philosophical and hauntingly poetic explorations of despair, chaos, and redemption.
His latest work, Herscht 07769 (2025), has been hailed as a major contemporary German novel for its vivid portrayal of social unrest in a small town in Thüringen, Germany. The Nobel Committee described the book as “a story written in a single breath about violence and beauty ‘impossibly’ conjoined,” set against the backdrop of Johann Sebastian Bach’s enduring legacy.
Among Krasznahorkai’s other celebrated works are Seiobo There Below (2008; English translation 2013) — a collection of 17 stories arranged in a Fibonacci sequence, meditating on the nature of beauty and artistic creation in a transient world — and A Mountain to the North, a Lake to the South, Paths to the West, a River to the East (2003; English translation 2022).
The Academy praised his ability to depict apocalyptic terror intertwined with transcendence, calling his works a testament to “the resilience of human creativity even in the face of existential despair.”
A Distinguished Legacy
Krasznahorkai becomes the latest in a long line of literary greats to receive the Nobel honour, following South Korean author Han Kang, who won in 2024 for confronting historical trauma and exploring human fragility.
The 2025 Nobel Prize announcement week began with the Medicine Prize on October 6, followed by Physics on October 7, and Chemistry on October 8. The Peace Prize and Economic Sciences Prize will be announced on October 10 and October 13, respectively.
Each Nobel Prize includes a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately ₹1.03 crore). The official ceremony will take place on December 10, 2025, in Stockholm, marking the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.
About the Nobel Prize in Literature
Established in accordance with the will of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, the Literature Prize honours authors who have produced “the most outstanding work in an ideal direction.” Since 1901, it has recognized writers whose words have shaped culture, conscience, and creativity across generations.
Final Thoughts from TheTrendingPeople.com:
László Krasznahorkai’s win marks a defining moment for contemporary literature, reaffirming the role of art as a mirror to humanity’s deepest fears and hopes. His distinctive narrative style and relentless pursuit of meaning place him among the most profound literary voices of our time.