Creative minds from the Uckermark: Prizes and competitions promote literature!

Creative minds from the Uckermark: Prizes and competitions promote literature!

The Uckermark may not be known as a literary hotspot, but the region is thriving thanks to committed creative people. Again Northern Courier reports, various prizes and events show that creative writing is highly valued here, even if the prospect of wealth is often bleak.

The Adolf Stahr Prizes, worth 4,000 euros, were awarded at a ceremony in Prenzlau on May 10th. The Fürstenwerder local group of the Uckermärkisches Historischesverein received this award for its active publication activity on local history. Chairman Henning Ihlenfeldt announced that the prize money would flow into new projects.

Prizes for creative minds

The Uckermark is not only active in the past, but also looks to the future. The Ehm Welk Literature Prize is a shining example of this. This prize has been awarded every two years since 1992 and is endowed with 2,500 euros. According to the Uckermark Literary Society The prize is aimed at authors from Berlin and Brandenburg whose works are linked to the writer Ehm Welk's concept of home. The next award will take place in 2026, and here too the applicants have to be creative - both poetry and prose are among the works submitted.

Another prize that brings a breath of fresh air is the Lonny Neumann Prize, which was newly founded by the city of Strasburg. It will be awarded for the first time at the city festival on September 12, 2025 and is open to all creative citizens of the Uckermark - a really great incentive for young talent!

Inspiring young people about literature

In order to get younger people interested in creative writing, the 17th Uckermark children's and youth literature competition is taking place. The review of the topic “A completely normal day…” was very inspiring and the deadline for entries on July 31st is long gone. The main prizes, including a trip worth 750 euros, are sponsored by Sparkasse Uckermark, and the city of Prenzlau is donating a special prize of 150 euros.

The winners of the Ehm Welk Literature Prize 2024 are Axel Lawaczeck for his story “Between Hbf and Fürstenwalde” and Silke Andrea Schuemmer, who was honored with her poem cycle “Material Testing”. As the Literature port describes, the winners should give a laudation at the next award ceremony - a special honor that also promotes artistic exchange.

All of these activities show that there is a lively literary scene in the Uckermark. It is the commitment of associations and individuals that makes the region a place where creative spirits can flourish.