Max Grünebaum Awards 2022 presented in Cottbus

Max Grünebaum Foundation celebrated its 25th anniversary with a ceremony. As part of the festivities, two Max Grünebaum Prizes and two sponsorship awards were presented to four outstanding young women. Two prizes went to the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg and two prizes to the Cottbus State Theater.

Peter Gumbelcommented on the occasion on behalf of the founding family: "We are delighted to be taking part in the 25th anniversary celebrations as great-grandchildren of Max Grünebaum. We appreciate the extraordinary gesture of our parents in establishing the foundation. And we look not only back, but also forward: we are excited about the future prospects of the city of Cottbus with its thriving cultural and intellectual life through theater and university."

Tobias Dünow, State Secretary for Culture of the State of Brandenburg, congratulated in his greeting during the award ceremony: "What would the State of Brandenburg be without its foundations - and above all: what would the city of Cottbus be without the Max Grünebaum Foundation? Considerably poorer - in the idealistic as well as in the monetary sense. That's why I'm particularly pleased that the Max Grünebaum Foundation has been placing the changing Lusatia region at the center of its support for a quarter of a century now. The Max Grünebaum Prize is not only a reminder that reminds us of the darkest period of German history, but also a call to commit ourselves to this region, just as the founders did in the homeland of their ancestor. I would like to express my gratitude to the founding family, which has been supporting young talents in culture and science for 25 years now and - in the spirit of their ancestor - enriching the city of Cottbus through the prizes of the Max Grünebaum Foundation. I warmly congratulate all award winners and the foundation on its anniversary!"

During the ceremony, the Max Grünebaum Foundation awarded one Max Grünebaum Prize and one sponsorship prize each to the Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) and to the Cottbus State Theater. The artistic program was presented by the foundation's award winners from previous years.

The 2022 Max Grünebaum Award winner of the Staatstheater Cottbus is the soprano Ketevan Chuntishvili. Social media staff member Annalena Hänsel of Staatstheater Cottbus received the 2022 Karl Newman Award. This year, the Max Grünebaum Award of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg went to Dr. phil. Clara Rellensmann. The Ernst Frank Award for a semester abroad in England went to student Thi My Linh Nguyen. The Max Grünebaum Prize is endowed with 5,000 euros each, the sponsorship prize with 3,500 euros. The sponsorship award for the State Theater finances a theater trip to London and the sponsorship award for the BTU finances a study visit abroad, preferably to England. For 25 years, the foundation has annually honored outstanding young artists, scientists, and particularly committed employees of both institutions, thus setting an example for understanding and appreciation.

The history of the Max Grünebaum Foundation is an impressive testimony to reconciliation, and the annual award ceremony is an emotional highlight in the cultural and scientific life of the city of Cottbus. With its many prizewinners, it now radiates far beyond the borders of Cottbus.

The Staatstheater Cottbusand the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg congratulated the Max Grünebaum Foundation with a book and the 20-minute anniversary film "25 Years of the Max Grünebaum Foundation" directed by Sebastian Rau. The university's film was presented to the public for the first time during the ceremony. Both media focus on the impressive 150-year history of the Grünebaum family in Cottbus, which was forgotten for a long time and only revived in 1997 with the establishment of the foundation of the same name.

Background to the Max Grünebaum Foundation Cott bus The cloth manufacturer and honorary citizen of Cottbus, Max Grünebaum (1851-1925), combined social commitment and patronage in an exemplary manner as a successful entrepreneur and supported the Cottbus theater throughout his life. For racist reasons, Max Grünebaum's descendants were expelled from Germany during the Third Reich, and the family's assets were expropriated. The family ventured a new beginning in England. In memory of Max Grünebaum's work in Cottbus, the grandchildren living in England established the Max Grünebaum Foundation in May 1997, whose aim is to further the good relations between Cottbus and England. In order to support the Staatstheater Cottbus and the Branden-burgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg, the Foundation awards the Max Grünebaum Prizes annually to young artists and scientists.

Contact

Ilka Seer
Referat Corporate Identity
T +49 (0) 355 69-3612
ilka.seer(at)b-tu.de

Susett Tanneberger
Stabsstelle Kommunikation und Marketing
T +49 (0) 355 69-3126
susett.tanneberger(at)b-tu.de
The 2022 award winners (from left to right): Annalena Hänsel (Karl Newman Award winner 2022), Ketevan Chuntishvili (Max Grünebaum Award winner 2022), Thi My Linh Nguyen (Ernst Frank Award winner 2022), Dr. phil. Clara Rellensmann (Max Grünebaum Award Winner 2022), Photo: Marlies Kross
[Translate to Englisch:] Dr. Clara Rellensmann (li.) und Thi My Linh Nguyen sind die Preisträgerinnen der BTU (Foto: BTU, Ralf Schuster)
[Translate to Englisch:] BTU-Präsidentin Prof. Gesine Grande gratuliert der Stifterfamilie und der Max Grünebaum-Stiftung zum Jubiläum und würdigt deren Verdienste zum Wohle von Kultur, Gesellschaft und technischem Fortschritt (Foto: BTU, Ralf Schuster)
[Translate to Englisch:] Während der Überreichung der Geschenke an die Stifterfamilie (Foto BTU, Ralf Schuster)
On stage in the Great House of the Cottbus State Theater on November 6, 2022: The former award winners present at the ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the Max Grünebaum Foundation and the 2022 award winners (Photo: Marlies Kross)