Biberach celebrates Tanja Handels with the Wieland Translator Prize 2025!

Biberach celebrates Tanja Handels with the Wieland Translator Prize 2025!

On November 2, 2025, the Christoph Martin Wieland Translator Prize was awarded in the Hans Liebherr Hall of the Biberach town hall. The award went to the talented Tanja Handels for her excellent translation of the novel “Fraud” by Zadie Smith into German. With prize money of 15,000 euros, this prize is not only a financial incentive, but also an appreciation for the art of translation. The “Friends of Literary and Scientific Translations” association awards this driver of culture, with funding secured by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Art.

The mayor of Biberach, Norbert Zeidler, did not miss the opportunity to say a few words to the audience at the award ceremony. He emphasized the importance of translation services before State Secretary Arne Braun gave a welcoming speech that emphasized the relevance of translation today. Helga Frese-Resch, deputy publisher at the Kiepenheuer & Witsch publishing house, was responsible for the laudatory speech. The celebratory setting was rounded off by a visual and musical design by Julian Moldering, who created the right ambience with animated illustrations and appropriate music.

The award winner

Tanja Handels, a native of Aachen, has established herself over the years as one of the leading forces in the field of literary translation. Born in 1971, she studied English, comparative literature and theater studies before she now teaches and coordinates literary translation at the LMU Munich. She is also the long-time chairwoman of the Munich Translators Forum, which not only supports the industry but also promotes literary exchange. Handels can already look back on several awards, including the Heinrich Maria Ledig Rowohlt Prize in 2019 and the Excellence Scholarship from the German Translator Fund in 2020.

In her acceptance speech, she emphasized the importance of the award for translators and expressed her gratitude. Her laudation and acknowledgment can be read on the Wieland Foundation's homepage, where anyone interested can find out more about her work.

A look at Christoph Waltz

In a completely different corner of the cultural world we find Christoph Waltz, an Austrian-German actor who has achieved international recognition. Waltz, born on October 4, 1956 in Vienna, has made a name for himself in US cinema and is best known for his roles in Quentin Tarantino's films. He had his breakthrough in 2009 in “Inglourious Basterds,” for which he received an Academy Award. His diversity is evident not only in the roles he plays, but also in the projects he is involved in, such as the James Bond films Specter and No Time to Die.

Although Waltz now lives in Los Angeles, he has always maintained connections to Vienna and Berlin. The actor's family has theater in its blood, and his career is a prime example of the connection between Austrian culture and international success. Waltz became a US citizen in 2020 and remains active in the film industry, currently appearing in the fifth season of “Only Murders in the Building” on Disney+.

Overall, both the awarding of the Christoph Martin Wieland Translator Prize and Christoph Waltz's successes show how diverse and dynamic the cultural scene is. Whether as a translator or an actor - both contribute to enriching our cultural landscape and promote exchange across national borders.