Press Release

Coronavirus: German Non-Fiction Prize 2020 will not be awarded

Prize to be awarded for the first time in 2021

The German Non-Fiction Prize will not be awarded this year due to uncertainty regarding developments concerning coronavirus. This decision was taken by the board of the Stiftung Buchkultur und Leseförderung des Börsenvereins des Deutschen Buchhandels (Foundation for Book Culture and the Promotion of Reading of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association) after consultation with the board of the Börsenverein. Consequently, the German Non-Fiction Prize will be awarded for the first time in 2021.

Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, President of the Börsenverein, says: “Containing the coronavirus presents an enormous challenge for society as a whole. The associated uncertainty and constantly changing circumstances make it impossible to plan reliably, so that we cannot guarantee the proper selection and awarding of the German Non-Fiction Prize this year. We very much regret not being able to honour this year’s best non-fiction book and already look forward to the German Non-Fiction Prize 2021, to the nominated titles and wide range of debates around socially relevant topics.” 

The Stiftung Buchkultur und Leseförderung des Börsenvereins des Deutschen Buchhandels awards the German Non-Fiction Prize, worth a total of 42,500 euros, to an outstanding non-fiction book written in German that inspires social debate. The Deutsche Bank Stiftung (Deutsche Bank Foundation) is the main sponsor of the prize, which is also supported by the technology and information provider MVB and Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss (Foundation of the Humboldt Forum in the Berlin Palace).

Further information is available at www.deutscher-sachbuchpreis.de 

Frankfurt am Main, 26 March 2020

Contact for the media: 

Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e.V.
Thomas Koch, Head of Press and Public Relations
Tel. +49 (0) 69 1306-293, e-mail: t.kochNO SPAM SPAN!@boev.de 
Cathrin Mund, PR Manager
Tel. +49 (0) 69 1306-292, e-mail: mundNO SPAM SPAN!@boev.de