Almost inspire Low German stories: the winners of the writing competition!
Almost inspire Low German stories: the winners of the writing competition!
The Low German writing competition "Verell" once again spared no effort to promote creative minds and to spark the passion for the Low German language. Under the motto "Mit’nanner", the gala celebrated a colorful festival of Low German storytelling on June 22, 2025, organized by NDR, Radio Bremen and the Ohnsorg Theater. ndr reports that about 700 stories were submitted, and it was certainly not an easy decision for the jury.
Felicitas Schröder from Hamburg secured first place, whose narrative "Fohrgemeenschop" was awarded for 1,500 euros. Her history deals with fleeting moments in the S-Bahn and questions the growing lack of compassion in today's society. Kai Bruhn from Halstenbek followed closely with "Trips Sik Na’t Rief", a work that was awarded for 1,000 euros and addressed the symbol of motherly love in the form of a special sweater.
The winners at a glance
| Platz | name | history
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Felicitas Schröder | fohrgemeenschop | 1,500 euros |
| 2. | Kai Bruhn | Trains Sik Na’t ran | 1,000 euros |
| 3. | Birgit Waterloh | de Schree | 800 euros |
| 4. | bernd Großmann | lever Eensam as gemeensam? | 700 euros |
| 5. | Janthe Schröder | never not to oolt | 500 euros |
The third -placed Birgit Waterloh illuminates the topics of birth, loss and motherly love in her story "de Schree", while Bernd Großmann with "Lever Eensam As Gemeensam?" An unusual perspective ensures by putting the learning ambitions of an elster in the foreground. And Janthe Schröder brings the commitment of an older lady to the demo on stage with "never to oolt". The jury particularly praised the courage and determination of this protagonist.
A highlight of the celebration was the moderation by NDR editor Ilka Brüggemann and entertainer Yared Dibaba, who also acts as an ambassador for the competition. Enie van de Meiklokjes congratulated the award winners and praised their commitment to the Low German language. The motto for 2026 has already been determined for the future: "Kuddelmuddel!", And from January 2026, school classes are invited to also participate in the competition in order to inspire them early on for the beauty of Low German literature.
insights into Low German literature
But the competition is only part of the lively Low German literary scene. Around 150 new Low German books are published every year, and the platform Plattschapp offers a comprehensive overview of the book market in this linguistic landscape. Most texts devote themselves to everyday life and captivate with short, often humorous stories. From autobiographical stories to modern poetry, diversity is impressive and often only perceptible at second glance.
The struggle for a reasonable spelling of the Low German language goes back to the 19th century, where different writing landscapes have been created that are still formative today. Also the Literature societies bring a breath of fresh air to the scene and promote talented authors through competitions and events.
The future of Low German language and literature looks colorful, and after this competition you can certainly say: more stories are still coming, and the enthusiasm for writing in the dialect remains alive.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Hamburg, Deutschland |
| Quellen | |