German Non-Fiction Prize Award Ceremony

The award ceremony

Announcing the Non-Fiction Book of the Year

2023

© Christof Jakob

Jury evaluation

People everywhere are quietly bidding farewell to rural life. Ewald Frie takes a surprising and personal perspective on this process of change. Using his family from the Münsterland region as an example, he describes tensions that have developed between town and country, and which we are currently grappling with intensely. With his astonishingly simple yet also poetic language – always empathetic, never nostalgic – Frie allows us to enter a world in transition. Based on interviews with his siblings, Ewald Frie has written a profound work of historical non-fiction that is also accessible and entertaining. This history of everyday life is rooted in details that are easy to overlook and from which great ideas develop. An inspiring example of innovative historiography.

The speech of the awardee
© Daniel Müller
The award ceremony
© Daniel Müller
The German Non-Fiction Book of the Year 2023
© Christof Jakob
Die nominierten Autor*innen des Deutschen Sachbuchpreises 2023 stehen auf einer Treppe und haben ihr Buch in der Hand.
© Daniel Müller
The nominees
Jurymitglieder unterhalten sich im Foyer in der Elbphilharmonie
© Daniel Müller
The jury members Markus Rex, Michael Lemling and Stefan Koldehoff in conversation with Academy member Klaus Kowalke
Jurymitglieder unterhalten sich im Foyer in der Elbphilharmonie
© Daniel Müller
The jury members Julika Griem, Michael Lemling, Stefan Koldehoff and Markus Rex in conversation
Gäste der Preisverleihung stehen im Foyer in der Elbphilharmonie und unterhalten sich.
© Daniel Müller
Guests gather for the award ceremony
Karin Schmidt-Friderichs prostet den Autor*innen zu.
© Daniel Müller
Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, president of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, cheers to the nominees.
Karin Schmidt-Friderichs begrüßt die Autor*innen. Rechts von ihr steht Peter Kraus vom Cleff.
© Daniel Müller
Karin Schmidt Friderichs and Peter Kraus vom Cleff (CEO of the Börsenverein) welcome the nominees.
Die acht nominierten Autor*innen.
© Daniel Müller
The nominees
Teresa Bücker
© Daniel Müller
Teresa Bücker
Meron Mendel
© Daniel Müller
Meron Mendel
Hanno Sauer
© Daniel Müller
Hanno Sauer
Elisabeth Wellershaus
© Daniel Müller
Elisabeth Wellershaus
Teresa Bücker, Meron Mendel und Ewald Frie unterhalten sich im Kleinen Saal der Elbphilharmonie.
© Daniel Müller
Teresa Bücker, Meron Mendel and Ewald Frie in conversation
Hanno Sauer, Elisabeth Wellershaus und Omri Boehm unterhalten sich im Kleinen Saal der Elbphilharmonie.
© Daniel Müller
Hanno Sauer, Elisabeth Wellershaus and Omri Boehm before the ceremony
Martin Schulze Wessel und Judith Kohlenberger unterhalten sich im Kleinen Saal der Elbphilharmonie.
© Daniel Müller
Martin Schulze Wessel and Judith Kohlenberger in conversation
Katja Gasser steht auf der Bühne und moderiert die Preisverleihung. Hinter ihr ist der Schriftzug "Lesen. Denken. Reden" zu sehen.
© Daniel Müller
Katja Gasser hosts the award ceremony.
Blick in den Kleinen Saal während der Preisverleihung. Gerade läuft ein Vorstellungsvideo über "Radikaler Universalismus".
© Daniel Müller
Films introduce the authors and their books, here Omri Boehm and "Radikaler Universalismus".
Blick in den Kleinen Saal, gerade läuft ein Film über "Das Fluchtparadox".
© Daniel Müller
Judith Kohlenberger "Das Fluchtparadox"
Blick in den Kleinen Saal während der Preisverleihung, es läuft gerade ein Film über "Der Fluch des Imperiums".
© Daniel Müller
Martin Schulze Wessel "Der Fluch des Imperiums"
Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, die Vorsteherin des Börsenvereins, begrüßt das Publikum.
© Daniel Müller
Karin Schmidt-Friderichs welcomes the guests in the Elbphilharmonie concert hall.
Blick ins Publikum im Kleinen Saal
© Daniel Müller
Approx. 230 guests attended the award ceremony.
Katharina Fegebank, die Zweite Bürgermeisterin von Hamburg und Wissenschaftssenatorin, begrüßt das Publikum.
© Daniel Müller
Katharina Fegebank, Hamburg’s Second Mayor and Senator for Science, is happy to host the ceremony in Hamburg.
Katja Gasser spricht mit Jurysprecherin Jeanne Rubner.
© Daniel Müller
Katja Gasser interviews jury spokesperson Jeanne Rubner about the selection process.
Katja Gasser und Jeanne Rubner sind im Gespräch.
© Daniel Müller
There was a discussion in the jury, whether a good non-fiction books should always offer solutions, Jeanne Rubner remarks.
Katja Gasser moderiert.
© Daniel Müller
Katja Gasser, host of the ceremony, is a literary critic and cultural journalist.
Karin Schmidt Friderichs übergibt Preisträger Ewald Frie die Urkunde.
© Daniel Müller
Karin Schmidt-Friderichs presents the award certificate to Ewald Frie.
Blick auf Ewald Frie während der Preisverleihung.
© Daniel Müller
Ewald Frie receives the German Non-Fiction Prize 2023 for his book "Ein Hof und elf Geschwister".
Ewald Frie hält seine Rede.
© Daniel Müller
In his speech, Ewald Frie addresses his family and the changes in rural society, which they went through.
Ewald Frie steht auf der Bühne im Kleinen Saal, sein Buch "Ein Hof und elf Geschwister" in der Hand.
© Daniel Müller
Ewald Frie with his award winning book "Ein Hof und elf Geschwister" (A Farm and Eleven Children)
Ewald Frie und neun seiner Geschwister.
© Daniel Müller
Ewald Frie, surrounded by his siblings, who attended the ceremony.
Ewald Frie im Interview.
© Daniel Müller
Ewald Frie is interviewed by the media.
Gäste im Foyer nach der Preisverleihung.
© Daniel Müller
After the ceremony, the guests reassemble for food and conversations.
Meron Mendel und Elisabeth Wellershaus im Gespräch nach der Preisverleihung.
© Daniel Müller
Elisabeth Wellershaus talks to juror Markus Rex.
Teresa Bücker im Gespräch nach der Preisverleihung, rechts ist das Logo des Deutschen Sachbuchpreises zu sehen.
© Daniel Müller
Teresa Bücker in conversation.
Martin Schulze Wessel im Gespräch.
© Daniel Müller
Martin Schulze Wessel in conversation.
Ausblick aus der Elbphilharmonie.
© Daniel Müller
View on Hamburg's landmark, the Michel (St. Michael's Church).

The award ceremony took place on 1 June 2023 at the Elbphilharmonie cocert hall in Hamburg. It was hosted by Katja Gasser (cultural journalist and literary critic). After speeches by Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, President of the Börsenvereins des Deutschen Buchhandels, and Katharina Fegebank, Hamburg’s Second Mayor and Senator for Science, the nominated non-fiction books were presented and Katja Gasser talked to jury spokesperson Jeanne Rubner (Technical University of Munich).

About the German Non-Fiction Prize

The German Non-Fiction Prize is presented to the non-fiction book of the year as an annual award of the Stiftung Buchkultur und Leseförderung (Foundation for Book Culture and the Promotion of Reading). The award is given to outstanding non-fiction in German-language original edition that inspires social debate. The German Non-Fiction Prize is endowed with a total of 42,500 euros. The winner receives 25,000 euros, the seven nominees 2,500 euros each.

Publishers could submit two German-language monographs each from their current or planned programme. The seven members of the jury have reviewed 244 titles and nominated eight non-fiction books for the award. Now they have chosen the German Non-Fiction Book of the Year from this selection.

The Nominees

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