(L-R) Jhemp Hoscheit, author; Eric Thill, Luxembourg's Minister for Culture; Maude Blaschette, author; Cathy Clement, author; Credit: CNL

On Tuesday 2 December 2025, Luxembourg's Minister for Culture, Eric Thill, presented the awards for the 2025 National Literary Competition at a ceremony held at the Centre National de Littérature (CNL) in Mersch.

According to Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture, the evening brought together the competition winners, jury members and various figures from the literary world.

As announced in October, the winners of the 2025 National Literary Competition, which focused on novels, are:

  • Den Impakt vu Klappentexter by Jhemp Hoscheit, which won first prize in the adult authors category;
  • Neel mat Käpp by Cathy Clement, second prize in the adult authors category;
  • Die Elefantenhaut by Guy Helminger, third prize in the adult authors category;
  • Silent Screams by Maude Blaschette, which won first prize in the young authors (aged 12-19) category.

In his speech, Minister Thill emphasised the essential role of the National Literary Competition in Luxembourg's cultural landscape. Since 1978, this competition has recognised unpublished manuscripts and serves both as a springboard for young talent and as a means of recognition for established authors.

"Looking at the approximately 155 authors awarded prizes over the past 40 years, the considerable impact of this competition is undeniable. Many of them now enjoy national and international acclaim. This competition is therefore not just a tradition: it is a vibrant engine of literary creativity in Luxembourg," he said.

Following the ceremony, Minister Thill congratulated all the winners, as well as all the participants, stressing the importance of continuing and supporting literary creation in Luxembourg.

Each year, the National Literary Competition focuses on a different literary genre. The 2026 edition will be dedicated to poetry collections in Luxembourgish, French, German and/or English. For further details, visit https://mcult.gouvernement.lu/fr/Domaines/appels-a-projets/concours-litteraire-national-2026.html