Overview

• A jury of 11 young readers and 11 adults selected 'Der Tunnelbauer' as the 54th recipient of the Buxtehuder Bulle.
• The novel follows Achim, a teenager who helped smuggle East Germans through tunnels beneath the Berlin Wall shortly after its construction.
• Nielsen’s narrative draws on documented testimonies to illuminate personal resilience under GDR surveillance.
• The award, endowed with €5,000, is granted annually by the town of Buxtehude to recognize outstanding youth literature.
• The formal presentation is scheduled for autumn 2025 in Buxtehude, continuing the prize’s tradition since 1971.