Dagmar Herzog Receives Günther Anders Prize for Critical Thinking
For her outstanding research on sexuality, power, fascism, psychoanalysis, and religion in the twentieth century, New York-based historian Dagmar Herzog has been awarded the Günther Anders Prize for Critical Thinking for 2026. The press release from the International Günther Anders Society states: “In addition to her award-worthy work published by renowned publishers, Dagmar Herzog most recently impressed the jury with her latest essay on the global rise of fascism—The New Fascist Body.”
The Günther Anders Prize has been awarded every two years since 2018 for outstanding achievements in philosophical, cultural, and political essay writing. In memory of the philosopher, cultural critic, and social commentator Günther Anders, the prize primarily honors German-speaking authors and their works that—in the tradition of the Enlightenment—engage with the conditions of life in our contemporary world, particularly the cultural, economic, technological, and media upheavals of our time. The prize recognizes innovative and original thinking together with a work’s exceptional aesthetic quality, particularly the ability to convey complex ideas with linguistic clarity. The prize winner is awarded with 20,000 Euros. The financial sponsor of the prize is the C.H.Beck Kulturstiftung of Wolfgang Beck in Munich.
We congratulate Dagmar Herzog and look forward to the award ceremony on May 13, 2026 at the Literaturhaus München. Herzog will be in conversation with Christian Dries, head of the International Günther Anders Society. The laudatory address will be held by Michael Hagner.
Further events with the author:
May 9, 8pm, Club Tokonoma Frankfurt: Die neue Ästhetik des Widerstands (The New Aesthetics of Resistance). In conversation with Nora Haddada, Antke Antek Engel and Holm-Uwe Burgemann
May 13, 7pm, Literaturhaus München: Günther Anders Prize Award Ceremony. In conversation with Christian Dries
May 19, 7pm, NS-Dokuzentrum München: In conversation with Paula-Irene Villa Braslavsky
May 20, 5:30pm, Hochschule für bildende Künste Dresden: Der neue faschistische Körper (The New Fascist Body; hosted by Kattrin Michel)
May 28, 6:30pm, Weserburg Bremen: Der neue faschistische Körper (The New Fascist Body). In conversation with Martin Nonhoff
June 1st, 18:30, Universität Zürich: Eugenische Phantasmen. Die lange Vor- und Nachgeschichte der NS-„Euthanasie“-Morde (Eugenic Fantasies: The Long Prehistory and Aftermath of the Nazi “Euthanasia” Killings)