Luxembourg Wurst author wins national literature award

The ministry of culture on 17 October revealed the names of the laureates of its national literature competition. John-Paul Gomez, creator of local humour and satire blog Luxembourg Wurst, was awarded the first prize for a so-far unpublished work.

Every year, the ministry awards writers, be they of Luxembourgish nationality or residents in the country, for their skill. Amateurs or not, participants can submit an unpublished original text anonymously. This year, the first prize in the adult category went to John-Paul Gomez’s The Idiot of St Benedict. Gomez, who is known for his Luxemburger Wurst pieces, received €5,000 and additional aid towards the publication of his work.

The jury was “seduced by the audacity of a project that dares to shape a dystopian, more or less science-fictional world,” adding that “this interplay between realism, dystopia and the surreal” sealed the deal.

Das Geräusch der Stillleben by Guy Helminger won second place, while Perfect Spheres–Stories and Complaints by Elise Schmit ranked third. Do women love? by Zeynep Celik won the incentive award in the 12-19 year-old category.