Congolese writer Fiston Mwanza Mujila has been named the winner of the 2026 Erich Fried Prize, one of Austria’s most prestigious literary awards, making him the first African writer to receive the award since its founding in 1990.
Awarded annually by the International Erich Fried Society and endowed by Austria’s Federal Ministry for Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport, the prize recognises Mujila’s body of work and carries a €15,000 award.
In her words, German writer and publisher Daniela Seel, who served as the sole juror for this year’s prize, said:
“Reading or listening to Fiston Mwanza Mujila perform leads to the fundamental questions of our existence and our coexistence in all our constructedness from hope, dream, love, hubris, violence and history,”
Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and now based in Austria, Mujila first gained international recognition with Tram 83, published in 2014. Set in a fictional mining city shaped by corruption, commerce and survival, the novel was longlisted for the 2016 Man Booker International Prize following its English translation in 2015. He later published The Villain’s Dance in 2020, a novel that explores exile, family and political upheaval across Central Africa. The book appeared in English translation in 2024 and was published in the United Kingdom by Jacaranda Books in 2026, with Deep Vellum releasing the North American edition.
Alongside his novels, Mujila has built a significant body of poetry. His translated collections include The River in the Belly (2021) and The Slaughterhouse of Dreams: Kasala for My Kaku (2025).
Established in 1990 in memory of Austrian poet Erich Fried, the Erich Fried Prize is presented annually to writers whose work has made an outstanding contribution to literature and language. A single invited juror selects each year’s recipient.
Mujila will receive the 2026 Erich Fried Prize at Literature House Vienna on 15 November.
Congratulations, Fiston Mwanza Mujila!
