How can a book get a prize 2 years before it is published???

Not sure whether this group is the right place for a question about prizes and publishing timelines, but here you go:

The German book In Zeiten des abnehmenden Lichts by Eugen Ruge was first published in 2011, but according to many sources it got the Alfred Döblin prize in 2009.

How is this possible?

There are a few prizes out there that are specifically for Unpublished manuscripts. I can't remember an exact one off the top of my head, but I know they exist. I think there used to be at least one RITA for unpublished writing.

>1 halloleo:

Google is your friend.

"The prize . . . is awarded for a long and still uncompleted prose manuscript in accordance with the founder’s intention."

https://www.adk.de/en/academy/prizes-foundations/alfred-doeblin-prize.htm

>3 lilithcat:

Cool! Thanks a lot! That nails it.

Still, I feels strange to me that from award to 2 years(!) go by...

If a book is unpublished, but ready for publication, the usual timeline from agent/editor to physical book is about 2 years...

Oh, very interesting! I have never published a book... But of course: Everything takes time...