Demian Lienhard, born in 1987 in Bern, studied Latin, archaeology, and Hispanic studies, and earned a doctorate in classical archaeology. Today, he works as a freelance writer. His debut novel Ich bin die, vor der mich meine Mutter gewarnt hat (I Am the One My Mother Warned Me About, FVA 2019) was shortlisted for the Klaus-Michael Kühne Prize for the best German-language debut and won the Swiss Literature Prize in 2020. His second novel, Mr. Goebbels Jazz Band (FVA 2023), was shortlisted for the Swiss Book Prize in 2023. The novel has so far been translated into Italian, Turkish, French, and Hungarian. 

Citizenship: Switzerland
Residence: Session 4 (19.05.-22.06.2025)