Putin critic honored with Peace Prize of the German Book Trade - Russian dissident awarded prestigious German Literature Peace Award
German Historian Karl Schlögel Receives Peace Prize of the German Book Trade
Karl Schlögel, a renowned German historian specializing in Russia and Ukraine, has been awarded the 2025 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. The prestigious literary award, presented annually by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, recognises individuals who have significantly contributed to peace through literature, scholarship, or activism.
Schlögel's scholarship uniquely blends empirical historiography with personal experience, focusing on Eastern European cities such as Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Kharkiv, as well as Russian cities like Saint Petersburg and Moscow, which he characterizes as European cities. After Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Schlögel sharpened his attention to Ukraine and Germany's lack of awareness of regional realities. His urgent message states that without a free Ukraine, peace in Europe cannot be achieved.
Schlögel is known for being one of the first intellectuals to warn about Putin’s aggressive authoritarian-nationalist agenda and has consistently advocated for the defense and recognition of Ukraine as central to European peace. His works, such as "Terror and Dream" (2008) and "The Soviet Century" (2017), have set standards for vivid, engaging historical writing.
The Frankfurt Book Fair, scheduled to take place on October 19 this year, will host the award ceremony. The jury praised Karl Schlögel for his "warning to us: Without a free Ukraine, there can be no peace in Europe." Previous recipients of the Peace Prize include British-Indian writer Salman Rushdie, who survived a fatwa by Islamists and an assassination attempt in 2022, losing an eye.
The Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels is a professional organization of publishers and bookstores. The Peace Prize is worth 25,000 euros and is presented at the conclusion of the Frankfurt Book Fair. While the names and works of earlier recipients are not provided in the current search results, the award has a rich history of recognising significant contributions to peace and literature.
Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, the President of the Börsenverein and Foundation Board Chairwoman, praised Karl Schlogel's storytelling that combines observation, feeling, and understanding. American historian Anne Applebaum, who was awarded the Peace Prize last year, also warned against reducing support for Ukraine in her acceptance speech.
In summary, Karl Schlögel's award highlights his historical and essayistic contributions on Russia and Ukraine, early warnings against Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian nationalism and expansionism, his repeated affirmation of Ukraine’s integral place in Europe, and the call for defending Ukraine as essential for European peace.
- Amid ongoing war-and-conflicts and politics, the EU nations could benefit from the wise insights of Karl Schlögel, as his work on Eastern Europe emphasizes the importance of a free Ukraine for general news of peace.
- Despite the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade recognizing diverse individuals for their contributions to literature and peace, few have strongly advocated for the freedom of workers and the freedom to provide services across EC countries like Karl Schlögel, who repeatedly calls for defending Ukraine to achieve these essential liberties in Europe.
