The 2026 Max und Moritz Award is given in eight categories

Erlangen, 5 June 2026

22^nd International Comic Salon Erlangen – 4 to 7 June, 2026
The 2026 Max und Moritz Award is given in eight categories

• Best German-Speaking Comic-Artist: Franz Suess
• Best German-Language Comic: "Der verkehrte Himmel" by Mikael Ross
• Best International Comic in German: "In den trüben Gewässern Istanbuls" by Özge Samancı
• Best Non-Fiction Comic: "Die Frau als Mensch" by Ulli Lust
• Best Comic for Children: "Der Zahn" by Ayşe Klinge
• Best German-Language Comic Debut: "Fleischeslust" by Martin Oesch
• Special Jury Award: Andreas C. Knigge
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Posy Simmonds

On the evening of 5 June, the 2026 Max und Moritz Awards were presented at the Markgrafentheater in Erlangen. The Max und Moritz Award, presented by the City of Erlangen as part of the biennial International Comics Salon, is regarded as the most prestigious award for comic art and graphic literature in the German-speaking world. In the run-up to the awards ceremony, a list of 25 titles nominated by the jury had been announced.

The award for Best Non-Fiction Comic goes to “Die Frau als Mensch” by Ulli Lust (Reprodukt), “Der verkehrte Himmel” by Mikael Ross (avant-verlag) is honoured as Best German-Language Comic, and the Best International Comic is “In den trüben Gewässern Istanbuls” by Özge Samancı (translation: Silv Bannenberg, Helvetiq). There was particular anticipation surrounding the winner of the Best German-Language Comic Artist award (worth 10,000 Euro). In this category, Franz Suess (currently: “Jakob Neyder”, avant-verlag) was honoured. This year’s Max und Moritz Award for Best Comic for Children goes to “Der Zahn” by Ayşe Klinge (Kibitz), whilst the Award for Best German-Language Comic Debut goes to “Fleischeslust” by Martin Oesch (Edition Moderne). In addition, “Abgang” by Lina Brazerol was recognised as an outstanding academic publication with an invitation to the prestigious International Comic Seminar in Erlangen. The Paul Derouet Award is therefore named in honour of the founder of the Comics Seminar, who passed away at the end of May.

As announced in the run-up to the awards ceremony, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to the British artist Posy Simmonds, whilst the Special Jury Award went to the journalist Andreas C. Knigge for his outstanding contributions to the art of comics in Germany. The Max und Moritz Gala was moderated by the Swiss journalist and comics expert Christian Gasser. Eva Linhart, Mayor of the City of Erlangen, presented the awards in the various categories.

This year's jury for the Max und Moritz Award includes: Catherine Bazabas (owner of Comicbuchhandlung Petit Kami, Hamburg), Christian Gasser (Cultural studies scholar and author, Lucerne), Andrea Heinze (journalist, Berlin), Katinka Kornacker (Managing Director of COMIX – Comicbuchhandlung Hannover), Isabel Kreitz (comic artist, Hamburg), Christine Vogt (Director of Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen) and Bodo Birk (Director of the Erlangen International Comic Salon).

In 2026, DATEV eG will be the title sponsor of the Erlangen International Comic Salon for the sixth time. As an IT service provider for tax advisers, auditors and solicitors, as well as their clients – such as small and medium-sized enterprises and local authorities – the cooperative is one of the largest private employers in the Nuremberg metropolitan region and, at the same time, one of Europe’s leading software companies.

In the downloadable PDF, you will find the laudatory speeches for the 2026 Max und Moritz Award winners, as well as the list of the 25 nominated titles.

Further information
www.comic-salon.de

Organiser
City of Erlangen – Cultural Office
Department Festivals and Programmes
Gebbertstraße 1, 91052 Erlangen – Germany
Phone +49 (0)9131 86-1408
Email: comicsalon@stadt.erlangen.de
Website: www.comic-salon.de