Adolf Muschg
A film by Insertfilm
Short documentary, 5:12 min, by Insertfilm AG
Camera: Daniel Leippert
Sound: Olivier JeanRichard
Editing: Insertfilm
Music: Pedro Haldemann
Director: Pedro Haldemann
Adolf Muschg is the winner of the 2015 Swiss Grand Prix for Literature.
The writer, with his tireless critical spirit, can look back on a diverse body of work consisting of novels and essays on literature, Europe, Japan, Gottfried Keller and Goethe. In this short portrait, the writer talks about his work and his inspiration.
On behalf of the Federal Office of Culture.
Adolf Muschg receives Switzerland’s most prestigious literary award
Federal Councillor Alain Berset presented Adolf Muschg with the Grand Prix Literature award. He praised the author for his “intimate semi-distance” to Switzerland.
He is a ‘specialist in questioning,’ said Federal Councillor Alain Berset, and someone who always remains a writer and scholar, even when he argues politically. In the hall of the Swiss National Library, the awarding of the Grand Prix Literature to Adolf Muschg was the conclusion and highlight of a long event. The winners of seven ‘Swiss Literature Prizes’ (plus one special prize) had to be honoured, in a rhythm of announcements, laudatory speeches, thanks and readings. 25,000 Swiss francs in funding plus a reading tour: Dorothee Elmiger, Eleonore Frey, Hanna Johansen, Guy Krneta, Frédéric Pajak, Claudia Quadri and Noëlle Revaz praised the prizes they had received: for one, a ‘very good remedy for self-doubt’, for another, ‘a welcome contribution to the third pillar’. There were moving and touching moments.
The perfect grand prize winner
Getroffen von der Kritik an der Vielzahl der Preisträger zeigte sich Jurypräsident Dominik Müller. Seine Replik: Nur ein «Fächer» werde der Schweizer Literatur gerecht. Beim Grand Prix (40’000 Fr.) hat man sich diesmal aber zu einer regelrechten Entscheidung durchgerungen. Und einer richtigen. Adolf Muschg ist, wenn kein überraschender, so doch ein perfekter Grossprämierter. Fast könnte man sagen, dass er diesen Grand Prix mit seiner Alleinstellung – und wohl auch der Präsenz eines Bundesrates – aufgewertet hat.
In his bilingual laudatory speech, Berset said that Muschg repeatedly reminds advocates of the reality principle that ‘things are different, could be different, should be different.’ And that Switzerland is not living up to its potential. The honouree, suffering from a severe cold but nevertheless enthusiastic, then laid a wreath for this Switzerland. He said he was proud to live in a country that fought its last civil war in 1847. A country that draws so heavily on a work of fiction, namely Schiller’s ‘Tell’, who, as a family man, small businessman and tyrant slayer, serves as a role model for several parties. There was amusement in the hall when Muschg reproached Germany, Switzerland’s large neighbour, for its treatment of Greece, saying, ‘That’s not how you behave in Europe!’ He then went on to dream of a ‘foundation for good deeds’. However, the prize money is not enough to set one up.
