After the latest controversy surrounding the German Booksellers’ Prize, the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (Chamber of Booksellers) reaffirmed its position and sharply criticized Kulturstaatsminister (Minister for Culture and the Arts) Wolfram Weimer.
Sebastian Guggolz, head of the Börsenverein, told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland: “It is not the prize itself that is damaged, but the person granting it has suffered damage”.
Guggolz stressed that the prize remains crucial for the industry. “The Deutsche Buchhandlungspreis – together with its counterpart, the Publisher’s Prize – is an important recognition of the contributions of booksellers and publishers to culture and society. A decline in the fundamental acceptance of both awards would constitute a major setback” he said. “Eliminating these prizes would not only represent a cultural‑policy choice but would also undermine the diversification of publishing and bookselling in Germany, as they have so far seemed to be the only form of support”.
He added that the decision over the award recipients should rest solely with a qualified jury. “The Minister’s intervention is transparent”. Guggolz criticized Weimer’s involvement as “intransparent”. He emphasized that award winners positioned both left and right of the center should be regarded as natural and added, “Extremism has nothing to do with this”.