In 1972 he received the Nobel Prize for Literature "for his writing which through its combination of a broad perspective on his time and a sensitive skill in characterization has contributed to a renewal of German literature".
I 1972 modtog Böll Nobels literaturpris: "for sine værker, der, ved at kombinere et bredt perspektiv af hans samtid med en følsom evne til personkarakteristik har bidraget til en fornyelse af tysk litteratur".