Book trading industry honors Karl Schlögel with Peace Prize award
Karl Schlögel, a renowned historian specializing in Russia and Ukraine, has been awarded the 2025 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. The prestigious award, endowed with 25,000 euros, recognises Schlögel's significant contribution to Eastern European history and current politics.
Schlögel's career began with a deep interest in Eastern Europe, sparked by witnessing the 1968 Prague Spring and Soviet suppression. Over the years, he has explored cities and landscapes in Central and Eastern Europe before the fall of the Iron Curtain, placing cities like Kiew, Odessa, Lemberg, and Charkiw on the maps of his readers.
His work, described as a unique way of conveying history and the present of Eastern Europe, has been instrumental in questioning prejudices and awakening curiosity. The foundation council commends Schlögel for sharpening the view of Ukraine and honestly engaging with the blind spots of German perception.
Schlögel's criticism of Vladimir Putin's aggressive expansionist policy and authoritarian-nationalistic power grab is a notable addition to his earlier works. He was among the earliest to warn the world about Putin's expansionist and authoritarian-nationalist agenda, emphasising that peace in Europe cannot be achieved without a liberated Ukraine, framing Ukraine's defense as essential to the continent's collective future.
As a historian, Schlögel has focused on the historical context of Russia's aggression against Ukraine and has been a vocal advocate for Ukraine's rightful place in Europe. His persistent and urgent advocacy for peace, historical understanding, and resistance to authoritarianism in Eastern Europe underlies his 2025 recognition by the prestigious German Peace Prize.
The award ceremony for Karl Schlögel is scheduled for October 19, 2025, in the Frankfurter Paulskirche. The Peace Prize, which has been awarded annually since 1950, honours Schlögel for his role in questioning prejudices and awakening curiosity, which aligns with the foundation council's previous statements about his work.
Schlögel's narrative style, according to the foundation council, combines observation, feeling, and understanding. He is described as a scientist, flâneur, archaeologist of modernity, and a seismograph of social changes. The Peace Prize citation does not explicitly mention these qualities, but his work continues to embody these qualities.
The announcement was made by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels on Tuesday. The Peace Prize jury commended Schlögel for his critical engagement with current politics, particularly in the context of Eastern Europe and Ukraine. This recognition marks a significant milestone in Schlögel's career and underscores the importance of his work in promoting peace, understanding, and democracy in Eastern Europe.
[1] Source: Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels press release, dated Tuesday, 2025.
- Karl Schlögel's work, including his criticism of aggressive expansionist policies and his advocacy for understanding and peace in Eastern Europe, extends beyond history to encompass lifestyle, books, and entertainment, as his insights have inspired readers and prompted conversations about political and social changes.
- The foundation council has noted that Karl Schlögel's narrative style, which combines observation, feeling, and understanding, exemplifies a unique form of storytelling that could potentially revolutionize books, entertainment, and perhaps even the way we perceive and interact with our lifestyle and the world around us.
