Ludwig Börne Prize

Chairman Michael A. Gotthelf during his opening speech in 2007

The Ludwig Börne Prize (German: Ludwig-Börne-Preis) is a literary award that is awarded annually by the Frankfurt-based Ludwig-Börne-Stiftung. It is one of the most important of its kind in German-speaking countries.

Objective and methods[edit]

In 1992 the banker and publicist Michael A. Gotthelf established a foundation that annually awards the Ludwig-Börne-Preis to a German-speaking author, acknowledging his or her outstanding performances in the fields of essays, reviews and reportage. Thus, the foundation celebrates the memory of the Frankfurt author, revolutionary democrat and political journalist Ludwig Börne (1786–1837) and his works.

A judge is nominated by the foundation board, for the sole responsibility of deciding who will win this award. This judge, moreover, makes a speech in the winner’s honor. The prize is worth 20,000 euros and its presentation takes place in St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt.

In 2010 the foundation for the first time awarded a Börne Honorary Medal to Marcel Reich-Ranicki for his lifetime achievements.^[1]

Foundation board[edit]

Founder and chairman of Ludwig-Börne-Stiftung is Michael A. Gotthelf. The foundation board is made up of Salomon Korn (chairman of the Jewish community in Frankfurt), Peter Feldmann (mayor of Frankfurt), Ina Hartwig (head of the Frankfurt culture department), Hubert Burda (Hubert Burda Media) and Thomas Bellut (ZDF director general), (As of 2022^[update]).^[2]

Award winners[edit]

1993: Joachim Kaiser, editor
1994: Marie-Luise Scherer, author
1995: Marcel Reich-Ranicki, publicist and literary critic
1996: Joachim C. Fest, publicist, author and contemporary historian
1997: Richard Schröder [de], philosopher and Protestant theologian
1998: Josef Joffe, publicist, publisher and lecturer
1999: Georges-Arthur Goldschmidt, author and translator
2000: no award
2001: Rudolf Augstein, journalist, publisher and publicist
2002: Hans Magnus Enzensberger, poet, author and editor
2003: George Steiner, author, philosopher and cultural critic
2004: Daniela Dahn, journalist and author
2005: Henning Ritter [de], editor^[3]
2006: Wolfgang Büscher [de], journalist and author
2007: Henryk M. Broder, journalist and author
2008: Alice Schwarzer, women’s rights’ activist and publisher
2009: Frank Schirrmacher, journalist, publisher and author
2010: Marcel Reich-Ranicki (medal for his life work)^[4]
2011: Joachim Gauck, President of Germany, civil rights activist and publicist^[5]
2012: Götz Aly, historian and journalist
2013: Peter Sloterdijk, philosopher and essayist
2014: Florian Illies, journalist and author^[6]
2015: Jürgen Kaube, journalist and publisher
2016: Martin Meyer [de], journalist
2017: Rüdiger Safranski, philosopher
2018: Souad Mekhennet, journalist
2019: Eva Menasse, writer^[7]
2020: Christoph Ransmayr, writer^[8]^[9]
2022: Eric Gujer [de], journalist^[10]
2023 Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action^[11]

References[edit]

^ Serrao, Marc Felix (7 June 2010). "Feierstunde mit Gediegenheit". Süddeutsche.de (in German). Retrieved 19 September 2022.
^ "Vorstand der Ludwig Börne Stiftung". Ludwig Börne Stiftung (in German). Retrieved 18 September 2022.
^ Personenbeschreibung on perlentaucher.de
^ "Ludwig-Börne-Medaille für Reich-Ranickis Lebenswerk". Focus (in German). 15 November 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
^ "Präsident der Herzen: Joachim Gauck erhält Börne-Preis". Der Spiegel (in German). 24 January 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
^ "Börne-Preis 2014 an Florian Illies". Focus (in German). 11 February 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
^ "Juror Florian Illies: Börne-Preis 2019 für Eva Menasse". FAZ.NET (in German). 5 February 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
^ "Steinmeier verleiht Ludwig-Börne-Preis an Ransmayr". ZEIT ONLINE (in German). 8 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
^ "Bundespräsident als Juror: Börne-Preis für Christoph Ransmayr". FAZ.NET (in German). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
^ Glas, Othmara (22 May 2022). "Ludwig-Börne-Preis: Der Anti-Hysteriker Eric Gujer". FAZ.NET (in German). Retrieved 18 September 2022.
^ "Wirtschaftsminister Habeck erhält Ludwig-Börne-Preis 2023". Süddeutsche.de (in German). dpa. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.

Literature[edit]

Georg Stanitzek [de]: Essay – BRD. Vorwerk 8, Berlin 2011, ISBN 978-3-940384-33-1, pp. 120–122.

External links[edit]

Official website (in German)

[Serrao_2010-1] Serrao, Marc Felix (7 June 2010). "Feierstunde mit Gediegenheit". Süddeutsche.de (in German). Retrieved 19 September 2022.

[Ludwig_Börne_Stiftung-2] "Vorstand der Ludwig Börne Stiftung". Ludwig Börne Stiftung (in German). Retrieved 18 September 2022.

[3] Personenbeschreibung on perlentaucher.de

[FOCUS_online_2013-4] "Ludwig-Börne-Medaille für Reich-Ranickis Lebenswerk". Focus (in German). 15 November 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2022.

[DER_SPIEGEL_2011-5] "Präsident der Herzen: Joachim Gauck erhält Börne-Preis". Der Spiegel (in German). 24 January 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2022.

[FOCUS_online_2014-6] "Börne-Preis 2014 an Florian Illies". Focus (in German). 11 February 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2022.

[GmbH_2019-7] "Juror Florian Illies: Börne-Preis 2019 für Eva Menasse". FAZ.NET (in German). 5 February 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.

[ZEIT_ONLINE-8] "Steinmeier verleiht Ludwig-Börne-Preis an Ransmayr". ZEIT ONLINE (in German). 8 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.

[GmbH_2020-9] "Bundespräsident als Juror: Börne-Preis für Christoph Ransmayr". FAZ.NET (in German). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2021.

[GmbH_1970-10] Glas, Othmara (22 May 2022). "Ludwig-Börne-Preis: Der Anti-Hysteriker Eric Gujer". FAZ.NET (in German). Retrieved 18 September 2022.

[SZ_2023-11] "Wirtschaftsminister Habeck erhält Ludwig-Börne-Preis 2023". Süddeutsche.de (in German). dpa. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.

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