aufgequeerlt
The Marianne.von.Willemer-Frauen.Literatur.Preis der Stadt Linz is awarded every two years and is endowed with 5,000 euros. It honours outstanding literary works by women and supports female authors in gaining a foothold in the Austrian literary scene.
The 2025 winner is the Linz-based writer and cultural scientist Lisa-Viktoria Niederberger. The jury voted unanimously in favour of her text Gräberfeld out of 61 entries. She received the prize in the Old Town Hall at the beginning of November.
Lisa-Viktoria Niederberger's work has already won several awards, including the Theodor-Körner-Förderpreis, the Exil-Literaturpreis, the Kunstförderpreis der Stadt Linz and the Frau Ava Preis. her children's book Helle Sterne, dunkle Nacht (Bright Stars, Dark Night) was published in 2024, followed in 2025 by the essay Dunkelheit. A plea. Her next novel Lahea will be published in March 2026 by Otto Müller Verlag.
We spoke to the prizewinner. You can listen to an interview, an excerpt from the award-winning text and the audience speech, read by jury member Claudia Romeder.
You can watch the entire award ceremony on DORF TV here: Willemer Frauen Literatur Preis der Stadt Linz
Event tip:
On 30 January 2026, Lisa-Viktoria Niederberger will read from her book Dunkelheit as part of the event Undirty Dancing, organised by Südwind in cooperation with the Women's Office of the City of Linz.
Location: OK Deck, Linz
Music (c): Florence + The Machine, Zola Jesus and Sevdaliza
Photo: (from left to right) Sabine Weißensteiner.l.) Sabine Weißensteiner, jury member and managing director of the Fürstelberger bookshop, prizewinner Lisa-Viktoria Niederberger, City Councillor for Women Eva Schobesberger and Anne Brack (Women's Office) (c) City of Linz
