Hänny, 75, from Tschappina in canton Graubünden is best known for his novels Sturz (2020), Blooms Schatten (2014), Helldunkel. Ein Bilderbuch (1994), Flug (1985), Zurich, Anfang September (1980) and Ruch. Ein Bericht (1979).
His work draws inspiration from his childhood in the Graubünden mountains, growing up in Chur, the cantonal capital, and the Zurich riots of the 1980s along with their supression by police.
“His books deal with these themes, not chronologically or autobiographically, but through associations of ideas, snippets of memories and dreams, inventions and above all through pastiche, in which he appropriates world literature,” the Federal Office of Culture said in a statementExternal link on Thursday.
The culture office’s special prize for translation this year went to Maurizia Balmelli. The translator, who grew up on Lake Maggiore in southern Switzerland, has translated many works into Italian from French and English.
These include books by Martin Amis, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Emmanuel Carrère, Marie Darrieussecq, Jean Echenoz, Mary Gaitskill, Aleksandar Hemon, Ágota Kristóf, JMG Le Clézio, Ian McEwan, Cormac McCarthy, Noëlle Revaz, Yasmina Reza, Sally Rooney, Miriam Toews and Fred Vargas.
She has built “solid bridges between literatures, devoting a constant and valuable commitment to teaching and training”, said the culture office.
The Swiss Grand Prix for Literature and Special Prize for Translation are each worth CHF40,000 ($45,000) and are set to be handed over on May 25 ahead of the Solothurn Literature Festival.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.