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Mirrianne Mahn interrupted the welcoming speech by Frankfurt's Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann at the award ceremony of the Peace Prize
Photo: Thomas Lohnes / Evangelischer Pressedienst / POOL / EPA
"I think it's bad, and I'm also worried, really worried, when I read that women authors are afraid to go to Frankfurt because they could meet right-wing publishers and authors here." Feldmann (SPD) on Sunday the debate on the limits of freedom of expression at the Frankfurt Book Fair in the Paulskirche.
There, in front of around 400 guests, the author and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga from Zimbabwe was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade.
In his speech, Feldmann said that "freedom of the word" is "a great good," but: "Human dignity is the greatest imperative of our constitution." In Frankfurt there is room for people from 180 nations, but no room for xenophobia or other forms of discrimination.
The SPD politician was suddenly interrupted by Mirrianne Mahn, city councilor for the Greens in Frankfurt, who came onto the stage unplanned.
"The paradox is that here in Paulskirche, the cradle of democracy, we give the peace prize to a black woman, but black women were not welcome at this book fair," she said.
“And I clearly say 'weren't welcome' because they weren't made to feel safe.
This is not freedom of expression. "
The author Jasmina Kuhnke had canceled her appearance at the book fair due to the presence of the right-wing Junge Europa publishing house.
Other authors followed later, and reports were also made in the USA.
In a joint declaration, the Book Fair and the German Book Trade Association regretted the refusals, but also justified the decision not to exclude right-wing publishers.
In a constitutional state, it is the task of the courts to ban publishers or their products.
The Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, endowed with 25,000 euros, will be awarded at the end of the Frankfurt Book Fair.
The new award winner Tsitsi Dangarembga called for new ways of thinking in her speech.
The current social system is a »no-win situation«.
The West has exported all of its technology and beliefs based on forms of violence to the rest of the world.
Violence creates more violence, and that can now be seen all over the world.
dpa / AFP / vet