1972 Nobel Prize in Literature

20px 1972 Nobel Prize in Literature Heinrich Böll Swedish Academy 1901 https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1972/summary/ 1972 laureate Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F062164-0004, Bonn, Heinrich Böll.jpg "for his writing which through its combination of a broad perspective on his time and a sensitive skill in characterization has contributed to a renewal of German literature." 1972 10 19 yes (announcement) 10 December 1972 (ceremony) Stockholm, Sweden 1971 Nobel Prize in Literature 1973 The 1972 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to the German author Heinrich Böll (1917–1985) "for his writing which through its combination of a broad perspective on his time and a sensitive skill in characterization has contributed to a renewal of German literature."https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1972/summary/ Nobel Prize in Literature 1972 nobelprize.orghttps://www.nytimes.com/1972/10/20/archives/heinrich-boll-wins-nobel-for-literature-heinrich-boll-54-a-west.html Heinrich Boll Wins Nobel for Literature 20 October 1972 21 May 2021 The New York Times Böll is the fifth German author to be recipient of the prize.notes Heinrich Böll is the first German citizen to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature since Thomas Mann won it in 1929. Hermann Hesse, born in Germany, was a Swiss citizen when he won the prize in 1946. The late poet Nelly Sachs, who was born in Germany and wrote in German, was honored in 1966, but she was a Swedish subject. Laureate Heinrich Böll The events of World War II had a significant influence on Heinrich Böll's literature. In his debut novel Der Zug war pünktlich ("The Train Was on Time", 1949) and the short story collection Wanderer, kommst du nach Spa... ("Stranger, Bear Word to the Spartans We...", 1950), he illustrated the folly of war and the pain it causes. Böll published a number of books that critiqued West German society after World War II, such as Gruppenbild mit Dame ("Group Portrait with Lady", 1971). Among his best-known works include Und sagte kein einziges Wort ("And Never Said a Word", 1953), Ansichten eines Clowns ("The Clowns", 1963), and Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum ("The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum", 1974).Heinrich Böll – Facts nobelprize.orgHeinrich Böll britannica.com 160px|thumb|left|Böll's 1974 novel The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum Deliberations Nominations In 1972, the Swedish Academy received 158 nominations for 100 writers. Böll started earning nominations for the Nobel Prize in Literature since 1960. In total, he received 29 nominations with the highest number in 1972 which eventually led to his awarding.Nomination archive – Heinrich Böll nobelprize.org Twenty-seven authors were newly nominated such as Philip Roth, Norman Mailer, Bernard Malamud, Nadine Gordimer (awarded in 1991), V. S. Naipaul (awarded in 2001), Francis Stuart, Doris Lessing (awarded in 2007), Alan Paton, Astrid Lindgren, Anthony Burgess, and Sri Chinmoy. The most number of nominations was for the British-American poet W. H. Auden with 10 nominations. The oldest nominee was Compton Mackenzie (aged 89) and the youngest was Philip Roth (aged 39). The Polish-born American poet Jacob Glatstein and Indian novelist Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay were nominated posthumously by Moshe Starkman (1906–1975) and the Academy's Nobel Committee respectively. Five of the nominees were women namely Nadine Gordimer, Doris Lessing, Astrid Lindgren, Anna Seghers, and Marie Under.Nomination archive – 1972 nobelprize.orghttps://www.svenskaakademien.se/sites/default/files/forslagslista_1972.pdf Nobelarkivet-1972 svenskaakademien.se April 2020 2 January 2023 The authors Natalie Clifford Barney, John Berryman, Victor Bridges, Fredric Brown, Américo Castro, Michał Choromański, Richard Church, Cecil Day-Lewis, R. F. Delderfield, Jacques Deval, Robert Faesi, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Ernestine Hill, Helen Hoyt, Vera Inber, Norah Lange, Violette Leduc, Laurence Manning, José Nucete Sardi, Kenneth Patchen, Betty Smith, Edgar Snow, Violet Trefusis, Mark Van Doren, and Ivan Yefremov died in 1972 without having been nominated for the prize. Official list of nominees and their nominators for the prize No. Nominee Country Genre(s) Nominator(s)1Said Akl (1911–2014)Lebanonpoetry, philosophy, dramaAssociation of Cultural Clubs in Lebanon2Tawfiq al-Hakim (1898–1987) Egypt 1972novel, drama, essays, short story, biographyIbrāhīm Madkūr (1902–1995) Ḥusnī Farīz (1907–1990)3Edward Albee (1928–2016) United StatesdramaDieter Schaller (1929–2003)4Jorge Amado (1912–2001) Brazilnovel, short storyMarcos Almir Madeira (1916–2003)5Louis Aragon (1897–1982) Francenovel, short story, poetry, essaysJean Gaudon (1926–2019)6Wystan Hugh Auden (1907–1973)United KingdomUnited Statespoetry, essays, screenplayHans Bielenstein (1920–2015) Thomas Fleming (1927–2017) Charles Bracelen Flood (1930–2014) Paul Goestch (1934–2018) Richard M. Goodwin (1913–1996) Samuel Johnson (1919–2005) Jónas Kristjánsson (1924–2014) Victor Sawdon Pritchett (1900–1997) Denis de Rougemont (1906–1985) Walter Weiss (born 1942)7Riccardo Bacchelli (1891–1985) Italynovel, drama, essaysBeniamino Segre (1903–1977)8Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay (1898–1971)(posthumous nomination) Indianovel, short story, drama, essays, autobiography, songwritingNobel Committee9Saul Bellow (1915–2005)CanadaUnited Statesnovel, short story, memoir, essaysElsie Patton (?)10Louis Paul Boon (1912–1979)Belgiumnovel, essays, short story, poetryRenaat Declerck (born 1949) Carel Jules Emile Dinaux (1898–1980)11Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) Argentinapoetry, essays, translation, short storyKurt Leopold Levy (1917–2000) Raimundo Lida (1908–1979)12Luis Buñuel (1900–1983) Francoist Spain SpainscreenplayLars Forssell (1928–2007)13Anthony Burgess (1917–1993)United Kingdomnovel, poetry, drama, screenplay, autobiography, biography, essays, literary criticism, translationArtur Lundkvist (1906–1991)14Heinrich Böll (1917–1985) West Germanynovel, short storyManfred Durzak (born 1938) Karl Hyldgaard-Jensen (1917–1995) Gustav Korlén (1915–2014) Hans Mayer (1907–2001) Gerhard Nickel (1928–2015) Marcel Reich-Ranicki (1920–2013) Herbert Morgan Waidson (1916–1988) Leevi Valkama (1915–2000)15Michel Butor (1926–2016) Francepoetry, novel, essays, translationLeon Samuel Roudiez (1917–2004)16Elias Canetti (1905–1994)People's Republic of Bulgaria BulgariaUnited Kingdomnovel, drama, memoir, essaysKeith Spalding (1913–2002)17Aimé Césaire (1913–2008) Martiniquepoetry, drama, essaysLassi Nummi (1928–2012)18André Chamson (1900–1983) Francenovel, essaysGiannēs Koutsocheras (1904–1994) Yves Gandon (1899–1975) Armand Lunel (1892–1977) Jean Mistler (1897–1988) Charles Rostaing (1904–1999)19René Char (1907–1988) FrancepoetryHenri Peyre (1901–1988)20Suniti Kumar Chatterji (1890–1977)Indiaessays, pedagogy, literary criticismPratul Chandra Gupta (1910–1990)21Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007)IndiaUnited Statespoetry, drama, short story, essays, songwritingBernard O'Kelly (1927–2005) Norman Holmes Pearson (1909–1975)22Austin Clarke (1896–1974)Irelandpoetry, drama, novel, memoirsKenneth Deale (1907–1974) Desmond Clarke (1907–1979)23Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca (1914–2008) TurkeypoetryYaşar Nabi Nayır (1908–1981)24Denis de Rougemont (1906–1985) Switzerlandphilosophy, essaysSuzanne Deriex (born 1926)25Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–1990) Switzerlanddrama, novel, short story, essaysWerner Betz (1912–1980) Herbert Penzl (1910–1995) Kázmér Géza Werner (1900–1985) Elisabet Hermodsson (1927–2017)26Odysseas Elytis (1911–1996)Kingdom of Greece Greecepoetry, essays, translationArtur Lundkvist (1906–1991)27Rabbe Enckell (1903–1974) Finlandshort story, poetryEeva Kilpi (born 1928) Carl-Eric Thors (1920–1986)28Salvador Espriu (1913–1985) Francoist Spain Spaindrama, novel, poetryAntoni Comas i Pujol (1931–1981)29Max Frisch (1911–1991) Switzerlandnovel, dramaElisabet Hermodsson (1927–2017)30Romain Gary (1914–1980)Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic LithuaniaFrancenovel, essays, literary criticism, screenplay Walther Hinz (1906–1992)31Jacob Glatstein (1896–1971)(posthumous nomination)Polish People's Republic PolandUnited Statespoetry, essays, literary criticismMoshe Starkman (1906–1975)32William Golding (1911–1993) United Kingdomnovel, poetry, drama, essaysNobel Committee33Nadine Gordimer (1923–2014)South Africa 1928novel, short story, essay, dramaArtur Lundkvist (1906–1991)34Julien Gracq (1910–2007)Francenovel, drama, poetry, essaysGeorges Matoré (1908–1998)35Günter Grass (1927–2015) West Germanynovel, drama, poetry, essaysHenry Caraway Hatfield (1912–1995) Emil Ernst Ploss (1925–1972) Manfred Windfuhr (born 1930)36Julien Green (1900–1998)Francenovel, autobiography, essaysJohannes Edfelt (1904–1997)37Graham Greene (1904–1991) United Kingdomnovel, short story, autobiography, essays20px Heinrich Böll (1917–1985) Mary Renault (1905–1983)38Paavo Haavikko (1931–2008) Finlandpoetry, drama, essaysLassi Nummi (1928–2012)39William Heinesen (1900–1991) Faroe Islandspoetry, short story, novelHarald Noreng (1913–2006)40Joseph Heller (1923–1999)United Statesnovel, short story, drama, screenplayArtur Lundkvist (1906–1991)41Vladimír Holan (1905–1980) Czechoslovakiapoetry, essaysNobel Committee42Taha Hussein (1889–1973) Egyptnovel, short story, poetry, translationIbrāhīm Madkūr (1902–1995)43Gyula Illyés (1902–1983) Hungarian People's Republic Hungarypoetry, novel, drama, essaysLars Gyllensten (1921–2006) Artur Lundkvist (1906–1991)44Eugène Ionesco (1909–1994) Socialist Republic of Romania RomaniaFrancedrama, essaysJohannes Söderlind (1918–2001)45Roman Jakobson (1896–1982) Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic RussiaUnited StatesessaysJean Dubois (1920–2015)46Eyvind Johnson (1900–1976) Swedennovel, short story20px Pär Lagerkvist (1891–1974)47Ferenc Juhász (1928–2015)Hungarian People's Republic HungarypoetryArtur Lundkvist (1906–1991)48Erich Kästner (1899–1974) West Germanypoetry, screenplay, autobiographyJohann Maier (1933–2019)49Miroslav Krleža (1893–1981)Socialist Republic of Croatia CroatiaSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslaviapoetry, drama, short story, novel, essaysNobel Committee50Manbohdan Lal (?)IndiaUdai Narain Tewari (?)51Philip Larkin (1922–1985) United Kingdompoetry, novel, essaysJørgen Læssøe (1924–1993)52Siegfried Lenz (1926–2014) West Germanynovel, short story, essays, dramaNobel Committee53Doris Lessing (1919–2013)United Kingdomnovel, short story, memoirs, drama, poetry, essaysArtur Lundkvist (1906–1991)54Saunders Lewis (1893–1985) United Kingdompoetry, essays, history, literary criticismJohn Ellis Caerwyn Williams (1912–1999)55Lin Yutang (1895–1976) Chinanovel, philosophy, essays, translationPeng Yao (?)56Astrid Lindgren (1907–2002)Swedennovel, short story, drama, screenplayKlaud Doderer (born 1925) Josef Stummvoll (1902–1982)57Väinö Linna (1920–1992) FinlandnovelEeva Kilpi (born 1928) A. Sakari (?)58Stanislaus Lynch (1907–1983)Irelandpoetry, essaysDesmond Clarke (1907–1979)59Compton Mackenzie (1883–1972) United Kingdomnovel, short story, drama, poetry, history, biography, essays, literary criticism, memoirsNorman Jeffares (1920–2005)60Hugh MacLennan (1907–1990) Canadanovel, essaysLawrence Lande (1906–1998)61Harold Macmillan (1894–1986) United Kingdomhistory, essays, memoirsCarl Becker (1925–1973)62Norman Mailer (1923–2007)United Statesnovel, short story, poetry, essays, biography, drama, screenplayArtur Lundkvist (1906–1991)63Bernard Malamud (1914–1986)United Statesnovel, short storyLars Gyllensten (1921–2006)64André Malraux (1901–1976) Francenovel, essays, literary criticismLloyd James Austin (1915–1994) Jean Guéhenno (1890–1978) Jan Kott (1914–2001) Jac Mey (?) John Henry Raleigh (1920–2001) Laurent Versini (1932–2021)65Frederick Manfred (1912–1994)United Statesnovel, essaysWayne Shafer Knutson (born 1926) John J. Timmerman (1908–2004)66Gabriel Marcel (1889–1973) Francephilosophy, dramaCharles Dédéyan (1910–2003)67Gustave Lucien Martin-Saint-René (1888–1973) Francepoetry, novel, essays, literary criticism, drama, songwriting, short storyHenri Guiter (1909–1994)68Harry Martinson (1904–1978) Swedenpoetry, novel, drama, essays20px Pär Lagerkvist (1891–1974)69László Mécs (1895–1978) Hungarian People's Republic Hungarypoetry, essaysWatson Kirkconnell (1895–1977)70Veijo Meri (1928–2015)Finlandnovel, short story, poetry, essaysOsmo Hormia (1926–1983)71Vilhelm Moberg (1898–1973) Swedennovel, drama, historyHarald Noreng (1913–2006)72Eugenio Montale (1896–1981) Italypoetry, translationCarlo Bo (1911–2001) Lanfranco Caretti (1915–1995) Uberto Limentani (1913–1989)73Alberto Moravia (1907–1990) Italynovel, literary criticism, essays, dramaJacques Robichez (1914–1999)74Sławomir Mrożek (1930–2013) Polish People's Republic Polanddrama, essaysKauko Aatos Ojala (1919–1987)75Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul (1932–2018)Trinidad and TobagoUnited Kingdomnovel, short story, essaysArtur Lundkvist (1906–1991)76Mikhail Naimy (1889–1988) Lebanonpoetry, drama, short story, novel, autobiography, literary criticismJoseph Bassila (?)77Pak Dujin (1916–1998)South KoreapoetryBaek Cheol (1908–1985)78Alan Paton (1903–1988)South Africa 1928novel, autobiography, essaysAstley Cooper Partridge (1901–?)79José María Pemán (1897–1981) Francoist Spain Spainpoetry, drama, novel, essays, screenplayJuan de Contreras y López de Ayala (1893–1978)80Ezra Pound (1885–1972) United Statespoetry, essaysHans Galinsky (1909–1991)81Pandelis Prevelakis (1909–1986) Kingdom of Greece Greecenovel, poetry, drama, essays Kariophilēs Mētsakēs (1932–2013)82Henri Queffélec (1910–1992) Francenovel, short story, screenplayEdmond Jarno (1905–1985)83Evaristo Ribera Chevremont (1890–1976) Puerto RicopoetryWashington Lloréns (1899–1989) Ernesto Juan Fonfrias (1909–1990)84Yannis Ritsos (1909–1990) Kingdom of Greece Greecepoetry, songwritingPer Wästberg (born 1933)85Philip Roth (1933–2018)United Statesnovel, short story, memoirs, essaysArtur Lundkvist (1906–1991)86Georges Schéhadé (1905–1989) Lebanonpoetry, drama, novelJoseph Bassila (?) Camille Aboussouan (1919–2013) Fouad Boustany (1904–1994)87Arno Schmidt (1914–1979) West Germanynovel, short story, biography, essaysNobel Committee88Anna Seghers (1900–1983) East Germanynovel, short storyHeinz Kamnitzer (1917–2001) Volker Klotz (1930–2023)89Léopold Sédar Senghor (1906–2001) Senegalpoetry, essaysLassi Nummi (1928–2012)90Claude Simon (1913–2005) Francenovel, essaysNobel Committee91Zaharia Stancu (1902–1974) Socialist Republic of Romania Romaniapoetry, novel, philosophy, essaysMiguel Ángel Asturias (1899–1974) Victor Eftimiu (1889–1972)92Francis Stuart (1902–2000)Irelandnovel, short story, poetry, essaysDesmond Clarke (1907–1979)93Abraham Sutzkever (1913–2010)Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic BelarusIsraelpoetryJoseph Leftwich (1892–1984)94Marie Under (1883–1980) Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic EstoniapoetryLassi Nummi (1928–2012)95Gerard Walschap (1898–1989) Belgiumnovel, drama, essaysMaurice Gilliams (1900–1982) Willem Pée (1903–1986)96Patrick White (1912–1990) Australianovel, short story, drama, poetry, autobiographyMuriel Clara Bradbrook (1909–1993) Leslie Rees (1905–2000) Harold Leslie Rogers (1925–1990) Eila Pennanen (1916–1994)97Elie Wiesel (1928–2016)Socialist Republic of Romania RomaniaUnited Statesnovel, memoirs, essays, dramaAndré Neher (1914–1988)98Thornton Wilder (1897–1975) United Statesdrama, novel, short storyWolfgang Clemen (1909–1990)99Vũ Hoàng Chương (1915–1976)South Vietnampoetry, dramaThanh Lãng (1924–1978)100Aaron Zeitlin (1898–1973)Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic BelarusIsraeldrama, short story, essays, literary criticismMoshe Starkman (1906–1975) Prize decision In 1972, the Nobel committee consisted of author, critic and permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy Karl Ragnar Gierow (chair), author and critic Johannes Edfelt, author Lars Gyllensten, author Eyvind Johnson, author and critic Artur Lundkvist and author and critic Anders Österling.https://www.svenskaakademien.se/svenska-akademien/akademiens-arkiv/digitala-utstallningar/bollutstallning/nobelkommittens-sammansattning-1972 Nobelkommitténs sammansättning 1972 Svenska Akademien The reports from members of the committee made public fifty years later reveal that the committee for the 1972 Nobel Prize in Literature firstly focused on awarding an author from the field of German literature.https://www.svenskaakademien.se/svenska-akademien/akademiens-arkiv/digitala-utstallningar/bollutstallning/djupdyk-i-1972-ars-nobelarkiv Ur Nobelarkivet 1972 Svenska Akademien Heinrich Böll had been considered for the prize by the Nobel committee since the first time he was nominated in 1960. The publication of Gruppenbild mit Dame in 1971, a year when Böll was not nominated for the prize, strengthened his candidacy, and in 1972 the Nobel committee proposed that Böll should be awarded the prize. A shared prize between Böll and Günter Grass was proposed by the committee. The other final candidates were the Italian poet Eugenio Montale and Australian novelist Patrick White.https://www.svd.se/a/WRm1dj/nobelpristagaren-heinrich-boll-ansags-stodja-baader-meinhof Nobelpristagaren ansågs stödja terroristerna Kaj Schueler 2 January 2023 Svenska Dagbladet Swedish Karl Ragnar Gierow said in his report that his evaluation emphasized "tactical evaluation rather than literary valuations". While saying that Eugenio Montale's work to him appeared as the "artistically maturest and most essential", Gierow did not want to place Montale first among the candidates but argued that German literature for long had been neglected by the Nobel committee and that there were now two serious candidates in Heinrich Böll and Günter Grass, and also mentioned Siegfried Lenz. Gierow listed Böll as his first proposal, a shared prize to Böll and Grass as his second proposal, White as the third and Montale as the fourth proposal. Committee member Lars Gyllensten made a similar proposal in his report, saying that Böll was the strongest candidate but that a shared prize with Grass could also be well motivated. Committee member Artur Lundkvist agreed that the German literature was "highly worthy to be recognised" and supported the committees recommendation of Böll as the first proposal, while saying that he would put Patrick White's work ahead of Böll's. Academy member Lars Forssell also preferred Patrick White, saying in a letter to committee chair Karl Ragnar Gierow that "Böll is not really a great writer. He has for example not the same scope as Thomas Mann. He is just pretending. That said I don't think he is an absolutely unworthy recipient of the prize, now that Grass has become more pretentious and odd. I just wish his candidacy could rest, if not in peace but at least this year."https://sa-admin.lb.se/assets/7c8a11d6-6b5e-4e7e-be77-f0246b800363.pdf/Brev%20fr%C3%A5n%20Lars%20Forssell.pdf Brev från Lars Forssell (pdf) 26 September 1972 Svenska Akademien Reactions The choice of Heinrich Böll was controversial for political reasons. As chairman of PEN International, Böll had been accused of supporting the Red Army Fraction and the chairman of the Austrian PEN resigned in protest over Böll being awarded the Nobel prize. Böll was also accused of being compliant towards the regime in the Soviet Union, where the freedom of speech for writers were oppressed.https://www.svenskaakademien.se/svenska-akademien/akademiens-arkiv/digitala-utstallningar/bollutstallning/pressklipp Reaktioner i pressen i samband med 1972 års Nobelpris i litteratur Svenska Akademien Swedish Böll himself said to the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet "I am happy and surprised, but also worried about the fame that comes with the Nobel prize." Award ceremony speech At the award ceremony in Stockholm on 10 December 1972, Karl Ragnar Gierow, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, said: He who attempts to seize in a single grasp the bountiful and very varied authorship of Heinrich Böll finds himself holding an abstraction. Through these writings – begun twenty years ago and culminating in last year’s novel Gruppenbild mit Dame – there runs, however, a twin theme that might serve as such a synoptic abstraction. This could be phrased: The homeless and the aesthetics of the humane. (...) He writes about what every human being seeks in order to lead a human life, in little things as in great, about “das Wohnen, die Nachbarschaft und die Heimat, das Geld und die Liebe, Religion und Mahlzeiten”, to quote his own enumeration. With its whole register from satire and high-spirited parody to deep suffering, this is a form of passionately engaged aesthetics and it also contains his literary program. He who sets out to portray the bare necessities of life keeps both feet on the ground. (...) The renewal of German literature, to which Heinrich Boll’s achievements witness and of which they are a significant part, is not an experiment with form – a drowning man scorns the butterfly stroke. Instead it is a rebirth out of annihilation, a resurrection, a culture which, ravaged by icy nights and condemned to extinction, sends up new shoots, blossoms and matures to the joy and benefit of us all. Such was the kind of work Alfred Nobel wished his Prize to reward.https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1972/ceremony-speech/ Award ceremony speech nobelprize.org Nobel lecture Böll delivered a Nobel lecture entitled An Essay on the Reason of Poetry on May 2, 1973 at the Swedish Academy.1972 Nobel lecture nobelprize.org In his lecture, he said: "Art is always a good hiding-place, not for dynamite, but for intellectual explosives and social time bombs. Why would there otherwise have been the various Indices? And precisely in their despised and often even despicable beauty and lack of transparency lies the best hiding-place for the barb that brings about the sudden jerk or the sudden recognition." Notes References External links Award Ceremony speech by Karl Ragnar Gierow nobelprize.org Press release nobelprize.org Nobel diploma nobelprize.org 1972 Category:Heinrich Böll Nobel