Samfundet De Nio (The Nine Society or Society of the Nine) is a Swedish literary society founded on 14 February 1913 in Stockholm by a testamentary donation from writer Lotten von Kraemer. The society has nine members who are elected for life. Its purpose is to promote Swedish literature, peace and women's issues. It mainly presents a number of literary awards. It was started as an alternative to the Swedish Academy and is often compared to its more noted cousin.
Membership Four seats are always held by women and four by men. Seat number one, the chair, alternates between men and women.
Current members Seat 1: Anna Williams (chair), professor, since 2019. Seat 2: Nina Burton, author, since 1994 Seat 3: Jonas Ellerström, author, translator, publisher, since 2017 Seat 4: Marie Lundquist, author, since 2022 Seat 5: Gunnar Harding, author, since 1993 Seat 6: Sara Stridsberg, author, since 2021 Seat 7: Niklas Rådström, author, since 1995 Seat 8: Madeleine Gustafsson, author, arts critic, since 1999 Seat 9: Johan Svedjedal, professor, literary critic, since 1995
Historical members Original members: Viktor Almquist (chair), Selma Lagerlöf, Karl Wåhlin, Ellen Key, Erik Hedén, Kerstin Hård af Segerstad, Göran Björkman, Anna-Maria Roos, John Landquist
Some notable members over the years have been Astrid Lindgren, Elin Wägner, Marika Stiernstedt, Karin Boye, Hjalmar Gullberg, Karl Vennberg, Gunnel Vallquist, Kerstin Ekman, Sara Lidman, Birgitta Trotzig, Knut Ahnlund and Anders Olsson.
Prizes Samfundet De Nios stora pris (Grand Prize), the main prize to Swedish literary writers, has been awarded annually since 1921. Originally 10,000 Swedish krona. it is 250 000 SEK (about €23,000 or US$32,000). Lotten von Kraemer's prize (essays) De Nios translator's prize Stina Aronson's prize John Landquist's prize (essayist/idea historian/critic) Karl Vennberg's prize (young poets) De Nios Winter prize De Nios Astrid Lindgren prize Anders and Veronica Öhman's prize De Nios Lyric poetry prize De Nios Special prizes List of all winners
Winners of the Grand Prize
1916: E A Karlfeldt, Bertel Gripenberg, Vilhelm Ekelund, Axel Lundegård, Hilma Angered Strandberg, Oscar Stjärne, Verner von Heidenstam 1917: K.G. Ossiannilsson, Marika Stiernstedt 1919: K.G. Ossiannilsson 1920: Hans Larsson 1921: Olof Högberg 1922: Tor Hedberg 1923: Elin Wägner 1924: Vilhelm Ekelund, Gustaf Ullman 1925: Fredrik Vetterlund 1926: Hjalmar Bergman 1927: Sigfrid Siwertz 1928: Ludvig Nordström, Pär Lagerkvist 1929: Per Hallström, Axel Lundegård 1930: Erik Blomberg, Bertel Gripenberg 1931: Arvid Mörne, Ernst Didring 1932: Emilia Fogelklou 1933: K.G. Ossiannilsson 1934: Hjalmar Söderberg 1935: Yrjö Hirn, Jarl Hemmer 1936: Bertil Malmberg, Eyvind Johnson 1937: Gustaf Hellström 1938: Harry Martinson 1939: Vilhelm Moberg 1940: Elmer Diktonius, Bertel Gripenberg, Jarl Hemmer, Arvid Mörne, Emil Zilliacus 1941: Olle Hedberg 1942: No grand prize 1943: Sven Lidman 1944: Moa Martinson 1945: Frans G Bengtsson 1946: No grand prize 1947: Jan Fridegård 1948: Sigfrid Lindström 1949: Fritiof Nilsson Piraten, Johannes Edfelt 1950: Nils Ferlin 1951: Gunnar Ekelöf, Lucien Maury 1952: Irja Browallius 1953: Tage Aurell 1954: Gabriel Jönsson 1955: Sivar Arnér 1956: Bo Bergman, Walter Ljungquist, Stina Aronson 1957: Karl Vennberg 1958: Emil Zilliacus 1959: Anders Österling, Evert Taube 1960: Lars Ahlin 1961: Erik Lindegren, Gustaf Hedenvind Eriksson 1962: Hans Ruin 1963: Artur Lundkvist, Birgitta Trotzig 1964: Rabbe Enckell, Peder Sjögren 1965: Willy Kyrklund 1966: Lars Gyllensten 1967: Werner Aspenström, Carl Fries, Per E Rundquist 1968: Ivan Oljelund, Elsa Grave 1969: Albert Viksten, Lars Forssell 1970: Stig Claesson, Majken Johansson 1971: John Landquist 1972: Sune Jonsson 1973: Tito Colliander 1974: Sonja Åkesson 1975: Barbro Alving, Eva Moberg 1976: Sten Hagliden, Olov Hartman 1977: Sara Lidman 1978: Ingemar Leckius 1979: Hans Granlid, Tomas Tranströmer 1980: Lars Norén 1981: Rita Tornborg 1982: No grand prize 1983: Bengt-Emil Johnson 1984: Björn von Rosen 1985: Göran Palm 1986: Gunnar E Sandgren 1987: Lennart Hellsing 1988: Göran Sonnevi 1989: Katarina Frostenson 1990: Tobias Berggren, Lars Gustafsson 1991: Erik Beckman 1992: Göran Tunström 1993: Lennart Sjögren 1994: P O Enquist 1995: Bo Carpelan 1996: Lars Andersson 1997: Per Wästberg 1998: P C Jersild 1999: Sigrid Combüchen 2000: Kjell Espmark 2001: Tomas Tranströmer 2002: Bruno K. Öijer 2003: Ann Jäderlund 2004: Torgny Lindgren 2005: Klas Östergren 2006: Jacques Werup 2007: Tua Forsström 2008: Birgitta Lillpers 2009: Steve Sem-Sandberg 2010: Ingvar Björkeson 2011: Kristina Lugn 2012: Arne Johnsson 2013: Aris Fioretos 2014: Kjell Westö 2015: Sara Stridsberg 2016: Carola Hansson 2017: Agneta Pleijel 2018: Gunnar D. Hansson 2019: Ola Larsmo 2020: Jan Stolpe 2021: Eva Runefelt 2022: Kerstin Ekman 2023: Barbro Lindgren 2024: Göran Greider 2025: Eva-Stina Byggmästar and Ingela Strandberg 2026: Karolina Ramqvist
Publications The annual publication Vår Tid (Our Time) was published 1916–1925 and 1930. Svensk Litteraturtidskrift () was published from 1938 to 1983. It contained essays, reviews and other texts about Swedish literature. Editors have included Olle Holmberg, Algot Werin and Knut Ahnlund. Samfundet De Nio also published Artes (1975–2005) together with the Swedish Academy, Royal Swedish Academy of Music and the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts. Since 2003 they publish a literary calendar together with Norstedts Förlag.
References
External links Official website