Rewarded Dining Experience for History Scholars - Prestigious Borne Prize Awarded to Historian Dan Diner
Historian Dan Diner was honored with the prestigious Ludwig Börne Prize 2025 in Frankfurt. The prize carries an endowment of 20,000 euros. The Green politician Daniel Cohn-Bendit, who served as a jury member, praised Diner, a 79-year-old enlightener, for his courage and contribution to understanding our current era.
Diner, a scholar who teaches in both Germany and Israel, has a connection to Hesse. After completing his precision mechanic apprenticeship, he attended the advanced class of a high school in Schlüchtern and later studied law and social sciences at Frankfurt's Goethe University.
The Ludwig Börne Prize, named after the esteemed journalist and essayist Ludwig Börne (1786-1837), has been acknowledging German-language authors in the realms of essay, criticism, and reportage since 1993. Previous laureates include politicians Robert Habeck and writer Daniel Kehlmann.
Noteworthy recent winners before Dan Diner have included Ilija Trojanow (2024), Carolin Emcke (2023), Navid Kermani (2022), Franziska Augstein (2021), and Eva Menasse (2020). The award ceremony is held annually in Frankfurt, most recently in the Paulskirche.
Over the years, the prize has been bestowed upon figures prominent in German-language cultural criticism, journalism, and essay writing. Consult the foundation’s official announcements or press releases for a comprehensive list of all previous winners.
In his illustrious academic career, Diner, having completed his apprenticeship and education-and-self-development in Hesse, became a scholar teaching in both Germany and Israel. With the Ludwig Börne Prize 2025, he was honored not just for his personal-growth in understanding our current era but also for his contribution to essay, criticism, and reportage, following a lineage of prominent winners.
