The End by Attila Bartis, translated by Judith Sollosy, wins EBRD Literature Prize 2024

By Kate Powell, EBRD

Author Attila Bartis and translator Judith Sollosy react to news of their win at the EBRD’s headquarters in London

PHOTO: EBRD

LONDON, UK, Jne 13 – The End, a novel by Attila Bartis, translated from Hungarian into English by Judith Sollosy and published by Archipelago Books, has won the The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) EBRD Literature Prize 2024.

The winning work, originally published in Hungary in 2015 and published in English for the first time last year, was chosen by an independent panel of judges: Maya Jaggi (Chair), Maureen Freely and Philippe Sands. 

Both author and translator were congratulated in person by the president of the EBRD, Odile Renaud-Basso, at an awards ceremony at the Bank’s headquarters in London, June 13.. The €20,000 prize will be split equally between them.

It is the first time a Hungarian novel has won the Prize. Reacting to his win, author Attila Bartis said, “Honestly, it was absolutely unexpected. I was very glad there were two Hungarians in the final three because Hungarian literature is very, very good. Winning was an extremely big surprise for me. And I have no idea how I will feel about this tomorrow or later!”

The authors and translators of the two other finalist books also received awards: The Wounded Age and Eastern Tales by Ferit Edgü, translated from Turkish by Aron Aji and published by The New York Review of Books, and Krisztina Tóth’s collection of short stories, Barcode, translated from Hungarian by Peter Sherwood and published by Jantar Publishing.

Now in its seventh year, this unique annual prize is awarded by the EBRD to authors from countries where the Bank invests and their English-language translators.

The EBRD Literature Prize is part of the Bank’s Community Initiative, which engages the institution and its staff in philanthropic, social and cultural activities in the regions where the EBRD operates.

Published by Asean Digest

View all posts by Asean Digest