Konstantin Richter has been awarded the German Non-Fiction Prize 2026
News08.06.2026
Konstantin Richter has been awarded the German Non-Fiction Prize 2026 for his book Three Hundred Men. The Rise and Fall of Corporate Germany
The jury stated: »Corporate Germany continues to shape our self-image as a successful economic nation. In his history of the German economy since the early industrialization, Konstantin Richter shows how little the ideas and concepts associated with this image fit into the present reality. Through a carefully crafted montage, he depicts how the network of »300 men« influenced Germany on a personal, economic and political level. It becomes clear that this came at a cost. Nostalgia does not help. Konstantin Richter reveals what lies behind the abstract image of the »German economy« – thereby providing a foundation for drawing the right conclusions for the future.«
The Foundation for Book Culture and Promotion of Reading of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers and Booksellers Association) awards the German Non-Fiction Prize to an outstanding work of non-fiction written in German that inspires social debate. The criteria include the relevance of the topic, the narrative strength of the text, the manner of presentation in accessible language, and the quality of research.
From eight nominated titles, the jury selected the non-fiction book of the year on 8 June 2026 at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. The German Non-Fiction Prize is endowed with a total of €42,500. The winner receives €25,000, with the other seven nominees all receiving €2,500 each.
The jury stated: »Corporate Germany continues to shape our self-image as a successful economic nation. In his history of the German economy since the early industrialization, Konstantin Richter shows how little the ideas and concepts associated with this image fit into the present reality. Through a carefully crafted montage, he depicts how the network of »300 men« influenced Germany on a personal, economic and political level. It becomes clear that this came at a cost. Nostalgia does not help. Konstantin Richter reveals what lies behind the abstract image of the »German economy« – thereby providing a foundation for drawing the right conclusions for the future.«
The Foundation for Book Culture and Promotion of Reading of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers and Booksellers Association) awards the German Non-Fiction Prize to an outstanding work of non-fiction written in German that inspires social debate. The criteria include the relevance of the topic, the narrative strength of the text, the manner of presentation in accessible language, and the quality of research.
From eight nominated titles, the jury selected the non-fiction book of the year on 8 June 2026 at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. The German Non-Fiction Prize is endowed with a total of €42,500. The winner receives €25,000, with the other seven nominees all receiving €2,500 each.
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Zuletzt aktualisiert am 09.06.2026