Ukrainian poet and translator Halyna Kruk has received the Horst Bienek Encouragement Award for Poetry for 2026. The award will be presented on December 2 at the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, as reported by Ukrinform.
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The jury praised Kruk’s poetry for its powerful reflection on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, emphasizing how her work aids international readers in grasping the resilience of Ukrainians and their language. They described her poems as poignant testaments to the experiences of war, characterized by precise observations that vividly illustrate Ukraine's current challenges.
The jury highlighted the emotional weight of Kruk’s writing, stating that her poems evoke a spectrum of feelings amid turmoil: "How do you hold on to hope when shells fall on the fields instead of migratory birds?" They noted her ability to combine beauty with stark realities, making her work resonate deeply with readers even if they haven't faced similar experiences. One jury member remarked that “war does not fit with the rest of the world / like a disability with an evening dress.”
Halyna Kruk is noted not only for her poetry but also as a translator and author of children's books. She holds a PhD and teaches at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, specializing in Ukrainian and European Baroque literature, and translating Polish literature into Ukrainian. Her poetry collections include titles such as Journeys in Search of Home and A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails, the latter focusing on pieces written following Russia’s full-scale invasion and featuring translations by Yuliya Ilchuk and Amelia M. Glaser.
In recent years, Kruk has gained recognition through several accolades: her bilingual collection was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize in 2024, and her work Lost in Living was a finalist in the Translation category of the PEN America Literary Awards in 2025. In 2023, she received a Women in Arts award in the Women in Literature category.
Established in 1991, the Horst Bienek Poetry Award is granted biennially by the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts, celebrating poetic works from various international authors. The award is funded by the Horst Bienek Foundation, named after the German writer and poet Horst Bienek. The 2026 laureate was selected by a jury that included notable figures such as Daniela Danz and Jan Wagner. German writer Ulrike Almut Sandig will deliver a special address in honor of Halyna Kruk at the award ceremony.