# Hape Kerkeling awards and political advocacy

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/hape-kerkeling-awards-and-political-advocacy
> Updated: 2026-09-04T20:55:02.000Z. Sources: 22. Developments: 2.

German entertainer Hape Kerkeling has received recognition for both his artistic contributions and his social advocacy. The Aachen Carnival Association announced he will receive the ‘Orden wider den tierischen Ernst’, an award that honors significant personalities and recognizes a commitment to an open and democratic society. Association president Andre Freese noted Kerkeling’s stance against antisemitism and right-wing extremism, stating he reminds society that “human dignity is non-negotiable”.

At the 32nd Goldene Henne awards ceremony held at the Leipzig Messe, Kerkeling received an award for film and television. During his acceptance speech, he issued a political appeal to voters in Sachsen-Anhalt, urging support for the broadcaster Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR). This appeal followed announcements by the AfD Sachsen-Anhalt that the party intends to terminate broadcasting state treaties, including the MDR treaty, if they gain power. 

The ceremony, co-hosted by Esther Sedlaczek and Florian Silbereisen, drew up to 3.4 million viewers on ARD. In addition to Kerkeling, the event honored Helene Fischer with a Millennium Entertainment honorary award—marking her ninth award—and actor Armin Mueller-Stahl with a lifetime achievement award. Other recipients included the Unheilig singer Der Graf, who won the audience award for music. The gala also recognized everyday heroes, such as first responders and volunteers from a Berlin animal shelter.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-04: Goldene Henne 2026 awards ceremony held in Leipzig

The 2026 Goldene Henne awards in Leipzig honored stars including Helene Fischer, who set a record with nine awards, and Armin Mueller-Stahl, who received a lifetime achievement award.

18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hape-kerkeling-issues-political-appeal-to-sachsen-anhalt-voters

### 2026-09-04: Hape Kerkeling to receive Aachen carnival award

German entertainer Hape Kerkeling will receive the ‘Orden wider den tierischen Ernst’ in Aachen for his artistic work and his commitment to democratic values and fighting extremism.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hape-kerkeling-to-receive-aachen-carnival-award

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Cite as: Hape Kerkeling awards and political advocacy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/hape-kerkeling-awards-and-political-advocacy