Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer cancels the awarding of the German Bookstore Prize | EUROtoday

The German Bookstore Prize ceremony deliberate for March nineteenth has been canceled. This emerges from a press launch from the BKM. The award was to be introduced for the primary time this yr as a part of the Leipzig Book Fair in a “concentrated, dignified ceremony”.

According to the press launch, the controversy over the non-consideration of three jury proposals threatens to overshadow the precise function of the occasion – honoring unbiased bookstores. Under these circumstances, an acceptable recognition of the award winners is “hardly possible”.

Instead of an award ceremony, the chosen bookstores ought to obtain prize cash and certificates straight. The foremost prizes must be introduced in a “separate form,” it stated.

The present controversy is triggered by the truth that three bookstores prompt by the jury had been subsequently not taken under consideration. In this context, there was discuss of “information relevant to the protection of the constitution,” which is alleged to have led to its deletion. The course of sparked a broad debate about political affect, standards for state-funded cultural awards and the dealing with of freedom of artwork and freedom of expression.

The German Bookstore Prize is financed by federal funds; A complete of 1 million euros is accessible yearly for the award.

Weimer additionally introduced that he would invite folks to a public dialogue occasion at a later date. The subject can be freedom of artwork and freedom of expression in addition to the significance of state-financed artwork prizes.