Iraqi-born writer Abbas Khader, now residing in Germany, won the 2025 Berlin Literature Prize for his novel Palace of the Miserable, which explores a period of Iraq’s history during the economic blockade. Khader received the award, valued at €30,000, at a ceremony held at the Red City Hall, attended by Berlin’s mayor, the municipal council president, and several prominent figures from the literary scene.
Khader’s works narrate personal and collective experiences he endured before being forced to flee Iraq after suffering torture in Saddam Hussein’s prisons. Following a harrowing journey through Jordan and Libya, he settled in Germany, where he completed his secondary education and began his writing career in German. Khader has a deep connection to the German language due to his life circumstances, explaining in a previous interview: “It was an extremely painful story,” referring to the loss of his sister and her three children in a 2007 bombing. “I stopped using Arabic for a long time after that tragedy and only regained it through German, which gave me the distance I needed to express myself.”
The jury praised his journey, stating: “Abbas Khader offers a unique perspective on Germany through the eyes of a writer compelled by circumstances to embrace the world. Imprisonment, escape, asylum, and the challenges of integration into a new society have been central themes in his work since his debut novel The Impostor in 2008.” They added: “His books address life under authoritarian regimes and represent a significant shift in contemporary German literature, moving from the margins of ‘guest worker literature’ and ‘migration literature’ to the heart of innovative literary creativity.”
Commenting on his win, Khader said: “In moments of exhaustion and despair, I chose isolation not out of fear of extremists or disillusionment with democracy, but to reorder my thoughts. This award is immense moral support, giving me confidence in a world rife with conflicts.” Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner, chair of the prize’s board of trustees, remarked: “Prisons and exile shaped Khader’s life. He arrived in Germany in 2000 after fleeing Iraq, and within a few years, he produced works that garnered widespread acclaim.” He added: “Today, we honor a writer living in Berlin who offers us a view of Germany through a refugee’s eyes, enriching our society and literature.”
The award, presented by the “Tourism Support” foundation, also includes Khader’s appointment as a visiting professor in the poetry department at the Free University of Berlin. University President Dr. Günter Ziegler welcomed him, saying: “His exceptional insight into social and global contexts and his profound understanding of life’s complexities add a distinctive dimension to German and world literature. His striking talent makes his works radiant, and we look forward to an inspiring collaboration with him and our students.”
Dr. Hans Hansen, chair of the Environmental Protection Foundation’s board, congratulated the winner, stating: “Literature opens doors to happiness and hope, but it also reflects the pains and upheavals of human existence. With Khader, we celebrate a writer who portrays the journey of escape and asylum with empathy and wit, inviting us to see the world from new angles.” He concluded: “Today, we honor a literary talent that challenges our perceptions and urges us to reflect on others’ experiences.”
