Wolfram Weimer faces scrutiny over bookstore award exclusions

Internal documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act have cast doubt on statements made by German Minister for Culture, Wolfram Weimer, regarding the exclusion of three bookstores from the 2026 German Bookstore Award.

In March, Weimer removed three award nominees located in Berlin, Bremen, and Göttingen, citing concerns that taxpayer-funded awards should not go to “enemies of the state.” Weimer previously claimed his department’s experts had expressed doubts about the worthiness of these specific shops. However, internal files from the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) suggest that the department’s technical staff actually recommended honoring all 118 jury-nominated winners in October 2025, stating that all nominees met the criteria.

The documents indicate that the decision to involve the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) was based on vague indications of political orientation, some of which were reportedly copied directly from the bookstores' own websites. The controversy led to the cancellation of the planned award ceremony at the Leipzig Book Fair and has resulted in legal challenges from the affected businesses seeking transparency regarding the selection process.