Contemporary Armenian writer Grigor Shashikyan awarded the Rückert Prize in Germany

Public Radio of Armenia

May 17 2022

May 17, 2022, 12:59

1 minute read

Contemporary Armenian writer Grigor Shashikyan has been awarded the Rückert Prize in Germany, the Armenian Embassy in Germany informs.

Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Federal Republic of Germany Viktor Yengibaryan attended the award ceremony at the Ehrenburg Palace.

This year, the Armenian language is the focus of the award ceremony. Hans-Herbert Hartan, Deputy Mayor of the city of Coburg offered opening remarks.

The Coburg Rückert Prize, in memory of the famous orientalist, poet, translator and linguist Friedrich Rückert, was awarded to Grigor Shashikyan for his novel Jesus’katze (The Cat of Jesus).

The novel was translated into German by Anahit Avagyan and Wiebke Zollmann. The event was accompanied by performances of Armenian miniatures and dance by the string quartet of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Landestheater Coburg.

The Ambassador Yengibaryan signed the golden book of the city of Coburg.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS