During a solemn ceremony held in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt, the Deutsche Buchhandel Peace Prize 2026 was awarded on Sunday to the British-French jurist and writer Philippe Sands. During his laudation, Mayor Mike Josef (SPD) stated that Sands advocates for international law and the strengthening of its institutions because “crimes against humanity are not the internal affairs of sovereign states. We are a global community. We have a responsibility to one another that transcends state borders.”
The jury cited the jurist and writer’s dedication to justice, peace, and the persistent defense of international law as the basis for selecting him, describing him as “one of the most important intellectual voices of our time.” As the descendant of Holocaust survivors, Sands uses his family history to illustrate how this law emerged and the experiences behind the definitions of “genocide” and “crimes against humanity.”
In his literary works, Sands explores both the motives of offenders and the suffering and lives of the victims. The foundation council believes that his representations have garnered a voice and earned respect.
Born in London in 1960, Philippe Sands is a Professor of International Law at University College London and a visiting professor at Harvard Law School. He also works at the International Court of Justice in The Hague and has served as a human rights lawyer in major international law proceedings. In addition to publishing legal textbooks and articles, Sands has been working as a non-fiction literary author since 2016.
The Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels has been awarding the Peace Prize since 1950. It comes with a prize fund of 25,000 euros, raised by publishers and booksellers. Traditionally, the award is presented on Sunday at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
