Awarding Controversy: Hannah Arendt Prize for Masha Gessen
Despite fierce criticisms from the German-Israeli Society (DIG) Bremen, the sponsoring association has elected to continue with the award ceremony for this year's Hannah Arendt Prize for Political Thought, set to honor Masha Gessen on Friday.
The controversy sparked due to a contentious article authored by Gessen, in which she compared the Palestinian territories – specifically, Gaza – to a ghetto in an Eastern European country under the occupation of National Socialists. This comparison provoked a strong reaction from the DIG, leading them to demand the suspension of the award decision.
While the DIG acknowledges Gessen's right to hold such views, they emphasize that these views should not be celebrated with an award that commemorates the Jewish philosopher, Hannah Arendt. The prize, endowed with 10,000 euros, honors individuals who contribute to public political thought and action in line with Arendt's legacy. An independent, international jury decides upon the award, and it is sponsored by the Bremen government, the Heinrich Böll Foundations in Berlin and Bremen, and a German association.
Despite the controversy surrounding Gessen's comparison, the sponsoring association maintains that her work fits into the culture of debate associated with the Hannah Arendt Prize. The association further highlights that this culture of debate will be cultivated during the award ceremony and at a symposium with Masha Gessen on Saturday.
According to the jury, Gessen is recognized as one of the most courageous chroniclers of our time. Her books, essays, and presence provide novel perspectives on a world undergoing accelerated change. Born in Moscow in 1967, Gessen documents political currents and conflicts within US and Russian society, residing in New York City.
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Enrichment Insights: The debate surrounding Masha Gessen's award has ignited various reactions, including concerns about equating Israeli actions in Gaza with historical Jewish suffering – perceived as antisemitic by some critics. The decision not to attend the award ceremony by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, affiliated with Germany's Green Party, mirrors broader academic and intellectual criticism of the comparison. The context of German politics and memory also plays a role in shaping the controversy.
