Nobel Prize Laureate in Literature, Doctor Honoris Causa of UBB

The Babeş-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca (UBB) has sent an official congratulatory message to Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai, recently named the 2025 Nobel Prize laureate in Literature. The author, considered one of the most original voices in contemporary European literature, is the 2019 UBB Doctor Honoris Causa. According to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the award was given to him for "his captivating and visionary work, which, amidst apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.” Krasznahorkai, known for novels such as "Satantango,” "The Melancholy of Resistance,” and "War and His Angel,” has often been described as a follower of the Dostoevsky tradition, exploring themes such as moral disaster, alienation, and resistance through art.

• UBB: "An honor for our entire academic community”

Babeş-Bolyai University emphasizes that it enjoys the special connection with the Nobel laureate. "We congratulate, on behalf of the entire UBB community, Mr. Laszlo Krasznahorkai! The distinction represents not only a recognition of his exceptional achievements, but also an honor for our community of which he is a part as Doctor Honoris Causa”,

declared Prof. Dr. Adrian Petruşel, Rector of UBB. The title of Doctor Honoris Causa was awarded to the writer on March 26, 2019, at the proposal of the Faculty of Letters, in appreciation for his contribution to world literature and for the aesthetic depth of his work. Laszlo Krasznahorkai is a laureate of the Kossuth Prize, the Jozsef Attila Prize and the Man Booker International Prize, distinctions that confirmed his status as a reference author of contemporary European literature.

Critics describe him as a writer of the "infinite phrase” and apocalyptic visions, whose dense and meditative prose has influenced not only literature but also cinema - director Bela Tarr adapted several of his novels, including "Satantango” and "The Turin Horse.” The Nobel Prize award once again brings into focus the connection between UBB and Central European culture, the university being a space recognized for its multicultural openness. "Having a Nobel Prize laureate in our community is a confirmation of the universal values that the university promotes - dialogue, excellence and openness,” reads the conclusion of the message sent by Babeş-Bolyai University.