Anne Weber receives the 2020 German Book Prize for her novel “Annette, ein Heldinnenepos” (“Annette, an epic of a heroine”)

The winner of the 2020 German Book Prize is Anne Weber for her novel “Annette, ein Heldinnenepos” (Matthes & Seitz Berlin).

Jury statement:
“The power of Anne Weber’s story equals that of her heroine: It’s breathtaking how fresh the old forms of epics take on a new tone, and with lightness, Weber has condenses the life story of French resistance fighter Anne Beaumanoir into a novel of courage, resistance and freedom. ‘Annette, ein Heldinnenepos’ (‘Annette, an epic of a heroine’) is an arduous story, told by Weber with effort and subtle irony. This novel is no less than Franco-German history, one of the cornerstones of Europe today. We are so grateful that Anne Weber found Annette for us and told her story.”

The jury members for the German Book Prize 2020 are: Katharina Borchardt (literary editor, SWR2), Hanna Engelmeier (Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities Essen) [KWI] and author), David Hugendick (literary editor, Zeit Online), Chris Möller (literary promoter at Kabeljau & Dorsch, Berlin), Maria-Christina Piwowarski (bookstore “ocelot”, Berlin), Felix Stephan (literary editor, Süddeutsche Zeitung) and Denise Zumbrunnen (bookstore “Never Stop Reading”, Zurich).

Other novels shortlisted for the award are:
Bov Bjerg, “Serpentinen” (Claassen), Dorothee Elmiger, “Aus der Zuckerfabrik” (Carl Hanser), Thomas Hettche, “Herzfaden” (Kiepenheuer & Witsch), Deniz Ohde, “Streulicht” (Suhrkamp) and Christine Wunnicke, “Die,” Dame mit der bemalten hand” (Berenberg).

The Stiftung Buchkultur und Leseförderung des Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (The Foundation for Book Culture and the Promotion of Reading of the Association of German Booksellers and Publishers) presents the 2020 German Book Award for the best German-language novel of the year. The German Book Prize is funded by the Deutsche Bank Stiftung (Deutsche Bank Foundation), and other partners including Frankfurter Buchmesse and the city of Frankfurt am Main. The Deutsche Welle television network supports the German Book Awards in its media activities both at home and abroad.

The winner’s press photo will be available for download for approx. 8pm at www.boersenverein.de/pressefotos.

You can find more information, including dates and times of events with winners, at www.deutscher-buchpreis.de/en/.

The hashtag for the German Book Awards 2020 is #dbp20.

Frankfurt am Main, October 12, 2020

Contacts for the media:
Börsenverin des Deutschen Buchhandels eV
Thomas Koch, Director of Press and Public Relations
Telephone. +49 (0) 69 1306-293, e-mail: [email protected]
Cathrin Mund, PR Director
Telephone. +49 (0) 69 1306-292, e-mail: [email protected]