The Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (BVdB) stands firm on the book trade award after the latest controversy and sharply criticises Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer.
Sebastian Guggolz, the BVdB chairman, told the editors’ network that the problem is not the prize itself but the damage caused by the issuer.
He stressed that the book trade award remains a vital accolade for the industry. “The German Bookstore Prize-and its counterpart, the Publisher Prize-represent a crucial recognition of the work that bookstores and publishers do for culture and society” Guggolz said. “It would be a major setback if the general acceptance of these two awards were to wane”.
According to Guggolz, scrapping the prizes would amount to a cultural‑political decision that undermines the diversity of publishing and book retail in Germany, where these awards are currently the only form of public support.
He called for the judgement to remain in the hands of a qualified jury alone. Guggolz condemned the Minister’s interference as “intransparent”. Winners at both ends of the spectrum should naturally be included, he added, and noted that extremism is unrelated to the discussion.
