Nobel prize for László Krasznahorkai provides a rare glimpse of unity in a nation divided on party lines
Gyula, a tranquil and picturesque town in the east of Hungary, is best known for its sausages. It has no direct rail connection to Budapest, but it does have a library and a castle. Soon, it will also have an official copy of a Nobel medal.
“Congratulations to László Krasznahorkai, the first Nobel winner from Gyula,” proclaim billboards in the town, paying tribute to the 71-year-old writer who won this year’s Nobel prize in literature for “his compelling and visionary oeuvre.”.
In December, as he accepted the medal at the Swedish Academy in Stockholm, many compatriots watched live, including an audience gathered in Gyula’s wood-panelled library. The town marked the occasion with a week-long programme of readings, workshops and an exhibition dedicated to Hungarian Nobel laureates.
The author himself was absent – and not just because he was accepting the award. Like many Hungarian artists and writers these days, Krasznahorkai no longer lives in his home country.
