We would like to draw your attention to an excellent article by Janett Haid, who examines political language at the Institute for Linguistic Societal Research at Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg. In her article, she analyzes the current political developments based on comparisons to a book that we recommended in one of our last newsletters: “LTI - The Language of the Third Reich” by Victor Klemperer.

It is truly worth articulating what we mean by “Never Again!”—specifically, the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust. While we are far from those atrocities, we might not be as distant from the small societal changes that eventually led to the catastrophes of the 20th century. Resurgent anti-Semitism and racism are driving the protests rising within society. “Never Again” is both a plea and a commitment to keep the memory of past crimes alive and to ensure that such inhumane acts never occur again.

To the article in Deutschlandfunk (in German)

Historian Anne Applebaum to Receive the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade

Historian and author Anne Applebaum, whom we also featured and recommended in one of our recent newsletters, will receive the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 2024. The board of trustees has described her work as a significant contribution to the preservation of democracy and peace. They stated that “in an era in which democratic achievements and values are increasingly ridiculed and attacked, her work represents an immensely important contribution to the preservation of democracy and peace.”

The award will traditionally be presented at the end of the Frankfurt Book Fair in the historic Paulskirche, on October 20, 2024. The Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, the professional organization of publishers and bookstores, has been awarding the Peace Prize since 1950. It honors individuals who have contributed to the realization of the idea of peace through literature, science, or art.

In 2004, Applebaum was honored with the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. Recently, she also received the Carl von Ossietzky Prize 2024 from the city of Oldenburg.

Her new book, “Autocracy Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World”, is now available in bookstores and will soon be also available at the Vancouver Public Library.

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