Max Grünebaum Prizes 2023 awarded in Cottbus

The history of the Max Grünebaum Foundation is an impressive testimony to reconciliation, the associated annual ceremonial awarding of the Max Grünebaum Prizes 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. Last year, the Max Grünebaum Foundation celebrated its 25th anniversary.

The now traditional award ceremony took place once again this year in the Great House of the State Theater. The artistic program was presented by award winners from previous years.

Entry in the Golden Book of the City

Karoline Newman, a descendant of the Cottbus cloth manufacturer and honorary citizen Max Grünebaum, signed the Golden Book of the City of Cottbus/Chóśebuz during the festive event. Thus, another representative of the great-grandchild generation is honored for her constant and extended commitment to the foundation named after Max Grünebaum.

In her laudatory speech, Marietta Tzschoppe, Mayor of Cottbus/Chóśebuz, said: "The work and dedication of the descendants of industrialist Max Grüne-baum for the Foundation and the city of Cottbus/Chóśebuz bear new fruit every year. We have just learned of the impressive achievements at the State Theater and the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, which were rightly awarded the Max Grünebaum Prizes today. [...]
We will not forget that Max Grünebaum stands for a time of rapid industrial as well as cultural development of Cottbus, that he together with others helped to shape the change at that time. We will not forget that Max Grünebaum always underpinned economic success with social commitment and participation. [...]
It is our common task to familiarize future generations with history and its facts, to convey values such as the dignity of each and every individual, and to tell fates."

The 2023 Award Winners*.

During this year's ceremony, the Max Grünebaum Foundation awarded a Max Grünebaum Prize to the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) and a Max Grünebaum Prize, a Sponsorship Prize and a Special Prize to the Cottbus State Theater.

This year, the Max Grünebaum Award of the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg went to Dr.-Ing. Daniela Schob.

The 2023 Max Grünebaum Award winner of the Cottbus State Theater is the actress Charlotte Müller. The Karl-Newman-Förderpreis 2023 was awarded to the actor Torben Appel. A special prize from the Max Grünebaum Foundation was awarded to Viktoria Feldhaus, assistant to the commercial director and chairman of the board of the Brandenburgische Kulturstiftung Cottbus-Frankfurt (Oder).

The Max Grünebaum Award is endowed with 5,000 euros each, the Promotion Award and the Special Award with 3,500 euros each. The sponsorship award for the State Theater finances a theater trip to London.

Background

Max Grünebaum Foundation Cottbus

The cloth manufacturer and honorary citizen of Cottbus, Max Grünebaum (1851-1925), was a successful entrepreneur who combined social commitment and patronage in an exemplary manner and funded the Cottbus theater throughout his life. For racist reasons, Max Grü-nebaum'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 continue to fund the good relations between Cottbus and England. In order to support the Staatstheater Cottbus and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, the foundation annually awards the Max Grünebaum Prizes to young artistic and scientific talents.