The Nobel Prize: 1966 Nominations

Hello Gentle Reader,            

The nominations for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1966 have now been released after being kept secret for fifty years. The Nobel Prize for Literature in 1966 was a unique award as it was shared between two writers: Nelly Sachs and Shmuel Yosef Agnon. Throughout the prizes history, there have only been four occasions where the award had joint recipients: 1904, 1917, 1966, and 1974. In 1965 there was consideration about a joint award between: Mikhail Sholokhov and Anna Akhmatova; but Anders Österling shot down the proposition; claiming that the only characteristics the two writers shared were language; and so Mikhail Sholokhov was the single recipient of the award, while Anna Akhmatova would die March fifth of the following year.

In 1966, the Nobel Committee for the Nobel Prize for Literature had proposed the years laureate should be the Japanese writer: Yasunari Kawabata; but the Swedish Academy however over turned this proposal, and sought other candidates for the years prize. Yasunari Kawabata did receive and  deserved recognition, but would have to wait until 1968.. After rejecting the proposal, the Swedish Academy would now have to discuss, debate and decide the years laureate. The shortlist for the year was as follows:

1.      Yasunari Kawabata

2.      Nelly Sachs/Shmuel Yosef Agnon

3.      Graham Greene

4.      W.H. Auden

5.      Samuel Beckett

The above list was presented by the Nobel Committee Chairman: Anders Österling. Of the list, four writers would go on to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. Nelly Sachs and Shmuel Yosef Agnon, would share the Nobel in 1966; Yasunari Kawabata would go on to achieve laureate status in 1968; and Samuel Beckett would take the award in 1969. Concerning Samuel Beckett, it has been noted that Anders Österling had reservations about Beckett’s ability to represent the award. Österling felt Beckett’s work were bottomless and nihilistic in their depiction and discussion of human nature, and therefore, not truly holding the ideal quality of the Nobel, with regards to the Literature prize’s ideal mandate.

Nelly Sachs, however, had quite a bit of support from the Swedish Academy, with both: Karl Ragnar Gierow and Erik Lindegren. Both members had previously expressed strong support for the poet. Anders Österling though showed slight hesitation towards the poet. In 1965, when Sachs was once again a forerunner for the award, Österling voiced concern for the choice. He believed her poetry was beautiful and should be highly valued, but was it of any higher class than any other German poet? With this mind Österling stated: “Even before Nelly Sachs, I feel finally the same question, whether her poetry—humanly touching in itself—can alone defend a Nobel Prize.” As a influential member of the Academy, Anders Österling’s words were taken very seriously. But with the assistance of Karl Ragnar Gierow (who first nominated Sachs in 1963), along with Erik Lindegren and Gunnar Ekelöf (who she had helped translate into German), Sachs would have the support needed to be taken seriously.

In 1966, Nelly Sachs was taken very seriously as a contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature. Henry Olsson had proposed a dual award to both Nelly Sachs and Paul Celan. The Nobel Committee rejected the notion. Its reasoning: “Sharing the award seeks to distinguish two individually significant efforts in the German lyric poetry. Regarding Celan, the Committee has not, however, able to convince itself that his work would justify the investment.”

With regards to Nelly Sachs and Paul Celan; the two poets were quite close, and their poetry is a great representation of the German language, but also the grief of the Jewish people. A shared award between Nelly Sachs and Paul Celan would have a greater sense of meaning, then the reality of Sachs sharing the prize with Shmuel Yosef Agnon. In fact, Nelly Sachs and Paul Celan, had shared a deep connection with each other, which is expressed in their sixteen year correspondence. Celan had first written to Sachs after reading her poem, ‘Chorus of the Orphans.’ Much like Nelly Sachs had done earlier by writing to Selma Lagerlöf (who would later help Sachs and her mother flee Germany and settle in Sweden), a new and bright friendship had begun to emerge and take hold, with Sachs even referring to Celan as ‘brother,’ and Celan documenting their friendship in his poem, ‘Zürich, The Stork Inn,’ (Zürich, Zum Storchen). Both Nelly Sachs and Paul Celan found kindred spirits with each other and their respective work. During the beginning of their correspondence, Celan was accused of plagiarism by a friend’s widow, and Sachs was embroiled in a dispute with the Finnish-Jewish composer Moses Pergament over a musical adaption of her stage play: Eli: A Mystery Play of the Sufferings of Israel.

Paul Celan would never go on to receive the Nobel. He was first nominated in 1964, but was declined as he did not “meet the claims of a high international award,”—which now in hindsight was a poor mistake for the Academy to make; as Paul Celan is now considered of the greatest poets of the 20^th century German language. Where now on the contrary of the two writers who shared the award in 1966, Shmuel Yosef Agnon has fallen into relative obscurity; and Nelly Sachs now clings to the shore, while the river of oblivion tugs her into the historical realm of the vague and the forgotten. Perhaps, if the award was shared between Nelly Sachs and her literary soulmate and brother, Paul Celan, she would be better known.

Before receiving the award in 1966, Nelly Sachs had fled Nazi Germany, with the assistance of Selma Lagerlöf, and it was there in Sweden, that Nelly Sachs would move away from her youthful naïve and romantic poems, and would become the fragile bird like women with powerful words. In 1947 she made her ‘second debut,’ with the poetry collection: “In den Wohnungen des Todes,” (“In the Dwellings of Death). After this, Sachs would write continually about the Jewish suffering; the complex relationship of the Jewish people with history and God; and it was then she would begin to attract greater attention in Sweden as a remarkable poet, who composed and conducted the chorus of historical suffering. During this time though, Sachs would also translate the works of many Swedish writers into German such as Ekelöf Thoursie, Gunnar Ekelöf, and Erik Lindegren. By the time the Nobel announcement came around, Sachs would be well known in the Swedish literary scene, and her award came to no surprise. What did though was the fact that it was shared with Shmuel Yosef Agnon.

Shmuel Yosef Agnon is a writer who is known more in niche and select literary groups. When he was awarded the Nobel in 1966, he became famous over night; but just as quick as the flame of fame had caught fire, it was extinguished. As already noted Agnon has all but fallen into relative obscurity, and his work is considered alienating for those not acquainted with Jewish history or culture. This would therefore making Shmuel Yosef Agnon a rather ‘extreme provincial,’ writer; and certainly brings to mind questions of his merit for such a: ‘high international award,’ which Paul Celan was denied. It was of course Anders Österling who was the most adamant of Agnon’s merits and requirement for recognition. Yet this was not the first time Shmuel Yosef Agnon was first nominated. In 1947 Agnon was proposed as a candidate by Professor Hugo Bergmann from the University of Jerusalem. The reception from the Nobel committee was at best, lukewarm. The Committee of the time saw Agnon as being too provincial, and incapable in his literary output to appeal to the greater public. The sentiment did not change, as in 1949, Agnon was once again dismissed. In 1965 though, his fortunes were beginning to change. Anders Österling had resigned from his position as the Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy, but maintained his position as the Chairman of the Nobel Committee; and in this year, he had German translations of Shmuel Yosef Agnon’s work, and became quite impressed with the writers work. Österling lobbied a great sense of encouragement Agnon’s work, stating he was Israel’s finest language artists at work. 1965 Mikhail Sholokhov would take the award; but Shmuel Yosef Agnon was second on the shortlist. This change in perspective came only after Agnon’s work had been translated into languages for the Academy to read and understand, only then did Agnon’s fortunes change, from the rejected nomination to the winner.

Yet now, Shmuel Yosef Agnon is readily ignored or left unknown to readers. His work as already stated is extremely provincial and culturally alienating to those unacquainted with Jewish history and culture. Future Nobel Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer, had described Agnon as a good writer, by no means a genius, but a good solid writer; though his work would be lost in translation, as the varying depths of the work were to be seen only via the Hebrew language.

In choosing to award the two writers the Nobel Prize for Literature, Österling defended the decision by stating the award had complied: “two authors from different language regions, but united by a spiritual affinity carrying out Israel's message in contemporary literature.” Though there was no denying Österling had felt and viewed Agnon as far superior quality to Sachs. History however has judged differently.

1966, would be the second last time the Nobel Prize for Literature would be jointly awarded. The last time the award was shared was eight years later in 1974, to two Swedish Academy members: Evyind Johnson and Harry Martinson.

1966, would also be the first time Günter Grass was nominated, but it would take another 33 years for him to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.

In the end Gentle Reader, 1966 saw the award go to Nelly Sachs a poet, who conducted and gave voice to the chorus of the holocaust and the 20^th century tragedy; while Shmuel Yosef Agnon was praised for his unique use of the Hebrew language, but this linguistic dependency will alienate readers who have no prior knowledge of the Jewish culture. In the end, Nelly Sachs was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature with the citation: “for her outstanding lyrical and dramatic writing, which interprets Israel's destiny with touching strength.” Shmuel Yosef Agnon received the following citation for his award: “for his profoundly characteristic narrative art with motifs from the life of the Jewish people.”

The joint award was fine on its simplistic level that the two writers shared a common discussion of the suffering of human and Jewish tragedy; but their similarities end there. A joint award between Nelly Sachs and Paul Celan would have most certainly been more memorable; as the two were poetic soulmates, in which they wrote beautiful lyrical German poetry which discussed the tragedies of the early 20^th century. But Paul Celan would commit suicide in 1970, and the day of his burial Nelly Sachs would died in Stockholm at the age of 79. Shmuel Yosef Agnon has since faded from common memory and readership with the grander public; retaining most of his readership within his niche circle and area; but beyond the Hebrew language he has fallen into obscurity. On this, sometimes the Nobel gets it right, and other times it does not. 1966 would at best be an example of compromise between the factions within the Swedish Academy; where a large proponent of the members were forward in their proposal of Nelly Sachs taking the prize.  Yet Anders Österling felt Sachs was incapable of defending the choice merely on her own, and was able to nominate a joint award of two writes; while advocating his own personal preference: Shmuel Yosef Agnon. In the end two writers received the award because of their common heritage and spiritual experience and inclinations.

1966 would also mark a time when Swedish Academy rejected the list presented by the Nobel Committee, in which the top contender for the year: Yasunari Kawabata, did not receive the award.

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care

And As Always

Stay Well Read

M. Mary

Please Note Gentle Reader, the information for this blog was gathered from the Swedish newspaper: Svenska Dagbladet. Quotes from the article were modified to offer greater clarity in the English language. 

For the original articles please see the following links -- 

The Article below discusses Nelly Sachs win: 

Svd: "Svenska Akademien körde över Nobelkommittén,"

The following article discusses Shmuel Yosef Agnon:

Svd: "Agnon – en otidsenligt tidlös författare,"

For furhter informaton on the writers nominated for the year please check out: "World Literature Forum," for a unique and intelligent conversation: 

World Literature Forum: "Nobel Prize: 1966,"