Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature for his "compelling and visionary oeuvre (composition) that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art", the award-giving body said.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in literature to Hungarian novelist and screenwriter Laszlo Krasznahorkai. The second Hungarian to win the prestigious literary award, Krasznahorkai, 71, has been recognized on the 9th October 2025.

Born in the small southeastern Hungarian town of Gyula, Krasznahorkai draws inspiration in his writing from his experiences under communism and the extensive travels he undertook after first moving abroad in 1987 to West Berlin for a fellowship.

His novels, short stories and essays are best known in Germany, where he lived for long periods, and Hungary, where he is considered by many as the country’s most important living author.

“He is a hypnotic writer,” Krasznahorkai’s English language translator, the poet George Szirtes says-“He draws you in until the world he conjures echoes and echoes inside you, until it’s your own vision of order and chaos”.

Critically difficult and demanding, Krasznahorkai once described his own style as “reality examined to the point of madness”. His penchant for long sentences and few paragraphs’ breaks has also seen the writer labelled as “obsessive”.

Books of Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai, the winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize for literature, are on display at the Swedish Academy in Stockholm, Sweden. Several of Krasznahorkai’s works, including his debut, Satantango, and The Melancholy of Resistance, were turned into films by Hungarian director Bela Tarr.

In winning the Nobel Prize, now worth $1.2m, he joins an illustrious list of laureates that includes Toni Morrison, Ernest Hemingway and Kazuo Ishiguro.

Last year, the award went to South Korean author Han Kang, who was praised “for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life”. Han was the first South Korean writer and 18th woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature.

Krasznahorkai, 71, is considered by many as Hungary's most important living author whose works explore themes of postmodern dystopia and melancholy. "I'm very happy, I'm calm and very nervous altogether," the author told Swedish broadcaster Sveriges Radio. "It is my first day as a Nobel Prize winner," he said.

The Academy highlighted Krasznahorkai's first novel published in 1985, "Satantango", which brought him to prominence in Hungary and remains his best-known work. The Academy called it "a literary sensation".

Krasznahorkai is "a great epic writer in the Central European tradition that extends through Kafka to Thomas Bernhard, and is characterized by absurdism and grotesque excess," the Academy said.

"But there are more strings to his bow, and he also looks to the East in adopting a more contemplative, finely calibrated tone."
"It is Laszlo Krasznahorkai's artistic gaze, which is entirely free of illusion and which sees through the fragility of the social order, combined with his unwavering belief in the power of art that has motivated the Academy to award him this prize," Academy member Steve Sem-Sandberg said.

The Nobel Prize comes with a diploma, a gold medal and a US$1.2 million prize sum.

Master of the Apocalypse

Krasznahorkai, the second Hungarian to win the prize, has been described as the postmodern "m"Master of the apocalypse" is a descriptive epithet for Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai after he won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature. The title was bestowed upon him by the Swedish Academy and others to acknowledge his "compelling and visionary oeuvre" that explores humanity's confrontation with chaos and apocalyptic terror through philosophical, dark, and absurd prose.

The Nobel Laureate, Krasznahorkai is a contemporary Hungarian writer known for his dense, philosophical, and hypnotic writing style.

Themes: His fiction often delves into themes of postmodern dystopia, the exploration of humanity in chaotic and godless worlds, and the struggle between order and chaos.

Key Works: His debut novel, Sátántangó, is a prime example of his signature blend of darkness and absurdism set in a desolate Hungarian collective farm.

Influences and Tradition: His work is seen as being in the Central European tradition of writers like Kafka and Thomas Bernhard, characterized by its absurdist elements and grotesque excess.

Why "Master of the Apocalypse"?

The title highlights Krasznahorkai's unique ability to "draw you into his world" and make his visions of order and chaos resonate within the reader.

The Swedish Academy recognized his work for reaffirming the "power of art" even in the face of apocalyptic terror.

Krasznahorkai's writing turns "chaos into art," captivating readers with its deep, philosophical explorations of humanity's condition.

Exploring themes of postmodern dystopia and melancholy, his first novel brought Krasznahorkai to prominence in Hungary and remains his best-known work.

"The novel portrays, in powerfully suggestive terms, a destitute group of residents on an abandoned collective farm in the Hungarian countryside just before the fall of communism," the Academy said.

Until now, the late Imre Kertesz was the only Hungarian to win the Nobel literature prize in 2002 for his semi-autobiographical novel "Fatelessness" about surviving the Holocaust.

Born in Gyula, a small town in southeast Hungary in 1954, Krasznahorkai grew up in a middle-class Jewish family.

He has drawn inspiration from his experiences under communism, and the extensive travels he undertook after first moving abroad in 1987 to West Berlin for a fellowship.

His novels, short stories and essays are best known in Germany - where he lived for long periods - and Hungary, where he is considered by many as the country's most important living author.

Critically difficult and demanding, his style was described once by Krasznahorkai himself as "reality examined to the point of madness".

Asked about the apocalyptic images in his work, Krasznahorkai said: "Maybe I'm a writer who writes novels for readers who need the beauty in hell".

Krasznahorkai had a close creative partnership with Hungarian filmmaker Bela Tarr. Several of his works have been adapted into films by Tarr, including "Satantango" and "The Werckmeister Harmonies".

Their collaboration has garnered critical acclaim. In 1993, he received the German ‘Bestenliste’ Prize for the best literary work of the year for ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’.

Past winners of the 11 million Swedish crown literature Prize include French poet and essayist Sully Prudhomme, who bagged the first award; American novelist and short story writer William Faulkner in 1949; Britain's World War Two Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1953; Turkey's Orhan Pamuk in 2006 and Norway's Jon Fosse in 2023.

Last year, the award went to South Korean author Han Kang, the first Asian woman to win the Nobel.

The Academy has long been criticized for the over-representation of Western white men among its picks. Women are vastly under-represented among its laureates - just 18 out of 122 since it was first awarded in 1901.

The Swedish Academy has undergone major reforms since a devastating #MeToo scandal in 2018, vowing a more global and gender-equal literature prize.

Over the years, the choices made by the Swedish Academy have drawn as much ire as applause.

In 2016, the award to American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan sparked criticism that his work was not proper literature, while Austrian Peter Handke's prize also drew criticism in 2019.

Handke had attended the funeral in 2006 of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, seen by many as responsible for the deaths of thousands of ethnic Albanians who were killed in Kosovo and the displacement of almost 1 million others during a brutal war waged by forces under his control in 1998-99.

Prizegivers have also in the past been accused of being snobbish, of having an anti-American bias and of ignoring some of the giants of literature, including Russia's Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, France's Emile Zola and Ireland's James Joyce.

The Nobel Prize 2025 in Literature is one of the most prestigious awards in the world, honoring individuals and organizations which have made outstanding contributions in their fields.

Established by Alfred Nobel, the Nobel Prize recognizes excellence in areas such as Literature, Peace, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, and Economic Sciences. Every year, the Nobel Prize winners are celebrated globally for their innovative work, vision, and lasting impact.

The Nobel Prize 2025 continues this tradition, highlighting achievements that inspire generations and shape the future of knowledge, culture, and society.

László Krasznahorkai, a Hungarian writer, was born on January 5, 1954, in Gyula, Hungary. He is known for writing deep, philosophical novels that explore human struggles, society, and the meaning of life. His books often include long, detailed sentences and dark, thought-provoking themes. Now, in 2025, he has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his visionary storytelling that demonstrates the power of art even in difficult times.

The Swedish Academy awarded László Krasznahorkai the Nobel Prize in Literature 2025 for his ability to create complex, visionary works that examine human life, despair, and hope. His writing style, which often includes long sentences and intense psychological depth, has made him internationally recognized as one of the most important contemporary European authors. The Academy highlighted how his stories combine apocalyptic themes with the enduring beauty and strength of art.

Krasznahorkai completed his high school education at Erkel Ferenc High School in 1972, focusing on Latin. He initially studied law at the University of Szeged and later at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest. However, he soon shifted his focus to Hungarian language and literature, where he wrote his thesis on the famous Hungarian writer Sándor Márai. During his studies, he also worked at Gondola Publishing House, gaining early experience in the literary world.

After completing his studies, Krasznahorkai started as an editor before becoming a full-time writer in 1984. His debut novel, Sátántangó (1985), was a major success and is considered a classic of modern Hungarian literature.

Other notable works include The Melancholy of Resistance (1989), War and War (1999), Seiobo There Below (2008), and Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming (2016), which won the National Book Award for Translated Literature. Many of his novels have been adapted into films by Béla Tarr, bringing international attention to his work.

Throughout his career, Krasznahorkai has received numerous awards for his literary contributions. He has also received the National Book Award (USA) for Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming, the Man Booker International Prize for his body of translated work, and the Best Translated Book Award for Seiobo There Below and Sátántangó. In Hungary, he has been honored with the prestigious Kossuth Prize, recognizing his lasting impact on Hungarian literature.

Apocalyptic themes describe scenarios of sudden, catastrophic societal collapse or world-ending events, often accompanied by divine judgment, revelation, and hope for renewal or a new creation. Common themes include cosmic battles between good and evil, the emergence of savior figures or a faithful remnant, environmental disasters or pandemics, technological collapse, and the final judgment and salvation of the faithful.

Key Characteristics

Revelation: The term "apocalypse" comes from the Greek word for revelation, and a central theme is the communication of secret knowledge, often through visions, dreams, or journeys to other realms.

Cataclysmic Event: Apocalyptic narratives describe a dramatic and sudden destruction of the world or civilization.

Dualism: A strong ethical dualism often features, with the conflict between good and evil forces, and the eventual separation of the righteous from the wicked.

Eschatological Hope: A core element is the expectation of a final, renewed world or a new creation following the destruction, often involving the rule of the faithful with God or the establishment of a peaceful human community.

Common Apocalyptic Scenarios

Religious: End-time scenarios, the Last Judgment, divine intervention, and the coming of a Messiah or savior figure.

Environmental: Climate change, extreme weather, resource depletion, and ecological disasters.

Technological: The misuse or unchecked advancement of technology, such as a robot uprising, AI takeover, or the collapse of critical infrastructure due to cyberattacks.

Societal Collapse: Events leading to mass unrest, breakdown of law and order, widespread famine, and endless war.

Pandemics: The rapid spread of deadly diseases that overwhelm public health systems and cause societal disruption.

Examples in Culture

Religious Texts: Found in biblical literature like the Book of Daniel and the Revelation of John.

Fiction: A popular subgenre in literature and film, including post-apocalyptic settings where characters must navigate a world after a collapse.

Art: Portrayed in paintings and other visual media, often depicting destructive scenes and symbolic representations of impending doom.

Apocalypticism is the religious belief that the end of the world is imminent, even within one's own lifetime. This belief is usually accompanied by the idea that civilization will soon come to a tumultuous end due to some sort of catastrophic global event. It is one aspect of eschatology in certain religions, the part of theology concerned with the final events of human history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity (societal collapse, human extinction, and so on).

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