German Book Prize 2008: new panel of judges now chosen

German Book Prize Academy appoints Christoph Bartmann, Martin Ebel, Meike Fessmann, Jens Jessen, Manfred Keiper, Rainer Moritz and Michael Schmitt / Publishers can submit titles

The panel of judges for the German Book Prize 2008 has now been named. Christoph Bartmann (director of the Goethe-Institut’s Culture and Information Department), Martin Ebel (culture editor at the Tages-Anzeiger, Zürich), Meike Fessmann (freelance critic), Jens Jessen (head of the feature section at DIE ZEIT), Manfred Keiper (manager “andere Buchhandlung”, Rostock), Rainer Moritz (director of the Literaturhaus, Hamburg) and Michael Schmitt (editor, “Kulturzeit” 3sat) will be choosing this year’s best German-language novel. The judges have been appointed by the German Book Prize Academy which is made up of representatives of the book and media industry and the Goethe-Institut. The German Book Prize is awarded by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers & Booksellers Association) and comes with prize money totalling 37,500 euros. Partners supporting the German Book Prize are Paschen & Companie, the Frankfurt Book Fair, and the City of Frankfurt am Main. The prize will be presented in the Kaisersaal at Frankfurt’s Römer on 13 October 2008, preluding the start of the Frankfurt Book Fair.

“German literature from Germany, Austria and Switzerland is enjoying an international reputation as seldom before – the German Book Prize contributes to this. That is why I am delighted that judges of great literary competence will be choosing the “best German-language novel of 2008”, ensuring the continuing success story of this prize”, says Gottfried Honnefelder, president of the Börsenverein and chairman of the German Book Prize Academy.

The winner will be chosen over several selection stages. The judges look through all the submissions sent in by publishing companies and compile a longlist of around 20 titles to be announced on 20 August 2008. From these, the judges choose six titles for the shortlist which will be published on 17 September. It is not until the evening of the award ceremony that the six authors find out which of them has been chosen to receive the German Book Prize. 25,000 euros of prize money goes to the winner, with 2,500 euros for each of the five other finalists.

To ensure that the award is as independent as possible, the German Book Prize Academy appoints a new panel of judges each year. The Academy members are: Gottfried Honnefelder (president of the Börsenverein and chairman of the German Book Prize Academy), Juergen Boos (director of the Frankfurt Book Fair), Jutta Limbach (president of the Goethe-Institut), Bernd Neumann (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media), Jan Paschen (managing director, Paschen & Companie), Viola Taube (deputy president of the Börsenverein), Joachim Unseld (chairman of the Börsenverein’s Commercial Publishing Companies Group), Dirk Vaihinger (Verlag Nagel & Kimche), Wilfried Weber (Hamburger Bücherstube Felix Jud) and Hubert Winkels (winner of the 2007 Alfred Kerr Prize for Literary Criticism).

Publishing companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have until 31 March 2008 to submit two German-language novels from their current or planned list as contenders for the award. Submissions are only accepted from members of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, the Swiss association for booksellers and publishers - the Schweizer Buchhändler und Verleger-Verband - and the Hauptverband des Österreichischen Buchhandels as the Austrian book trade’s central association. Books must be published between October 2007 and 17 September 2008 (announcement of the shortlist). The books, reading copies or galley proofs can still be sent in up until 1 July 2008. In the next few days, the Börsenverein will be mailing out submission papers and detailed information.

All information can be accessed at www.germanbookprize.de.

Frankfurt am Main, 14 February 2008

Kristiane Schengbier
Press and Information
Phone: +49 (0) 69 1306-296; E-mail: schengbier@boev.de

Contact for the media:

Claudia Paul
Press Officer
Phone: +49 (0) 69 1306-293; E-mail: paul@boev.de

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English Samples of the shortlisted novels

For exclusive sample translations and background information on the shortlisted authors and novels go to: signandsight.com

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