The ailing German book industry has made itself comfortable between jury meetings, standing receptions and self-pity. It's good that at least someone in Frankfurt, Clemens Meyer, lost his nerve.
Perhaps at the beginning of the series of events surrounding the book fair, which has now come to an end, some were waiting for it to finally happen: the German Book Prize! High mass for an industry that navigates between euphoria and melancholy. The winner, or this year the winner, of the book prize is announced, and the hands are already on the thighs ready to clap. Martina Hefter was awarded the prize for a novel that, as it is said, “navigates between euphoria and melancholy”. As is well known, the Leipzig writer Clemens Meyer jumped up, insulted the jury for not receiving the prize, and ran outside. The exclamation “wanker” is said to have been heard outside, a touchingly helpless word from my youth, so the anger was real.
