Max Grünebaum Prize and Ernst Frank Prize of the BTU 2024 awarded in Cottbus

Award ceremony at the Cottbus State Theatre

This year's award ceremony of the Max Grünebaum Foundation took place on an autumnal Sunday at the Staatstheater Cottbus. The festive ceremony took place for the 27th time and has become a Cottbus city tradition. Against the backdrop of the remarkable history of the Max Grünebaum Foundation, the annual festive presentation of the Max Grünebaum Prizes is an emotional highlight in the cultural and scientific life of the city of Cottbus.

The BTU prizewinners 2024

Dr Charlotte Gerling, a postdoctoral researcher at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU), was awarded the Max Grünebaum Prize 2024 for her outstanding scientific work in the field of climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation. Her dissertation entitled "Economics of Climate Adaptation for Biodiversity Conservation" sheds light on how economic approaches can help to make species conservation more effective in the face of climate change. Her research combines ecological, economic and climate science approaches and provides practical solutions for safeguarding biodiversity.

Alongside Dr Gerling, student Adrian Körnig received the 2024 Ernst Frank Award. Körnig, who is studying Business Administration and Engineering at BTU, impressed the jury with his excellent academic achievements and his commitment within the student consultancy Jalta Consultants e.V.. His next goal is to spend a semester abroad at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, where he will deepen his knowledge of digital production and automation. The Ernst Frank Award will help him to finance his tuition fees and concentrate fully on his academic development.

The 2024 Max Grünebaum Prize winner of the Cottbus State Theatre is mezzo-soprano Rahel Brede. The 2024 Karl Newman Award goes to assistant director Julia Daniczek.

The Max Grünebaum Prize is endowed with 5,000 euros each and the sponsorship prize with 3,500 euros. The prize for the BTU finances a semester abroad, the prize for the Staatstheater finances a theatre trip to London.

The Max Grünebaum Foundation has been awarding prizes to young artists and academics for over 25 years, thereby setting an example for understanding and the promotion of talent in the Lusatia region. The awarding of the prizes is not only a tribute to outstanding achievements, but also a reminder of the history of the Grünebaum family, which is deeply rooted in Cottbus.

Background

Max Grünebaum Foundation Cottbus

Max Grünebaum (1851-1925) was a cloth manufacturer and honorary citizen of Cottbus. As a successful entrepreneur, he combined social commitment and patronage in an exemplary manner and funded the Cottbus theatre throughout his life. In the course of racist persecution, Max Grünebaum's descendants were expelled from Germany during the Third Reich and the family assets were expropriated. The Grünebaum family made a new start in England.

In memory of Max Grünebaum's work in Cottbus, the grandchildren living in England established the Max Grünebaum Foundation in May 1997, with the aim of continuing to fund the good relations between Cottbus and England. In order to support the Cottbus State Theatre and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, the foundation awards the Max Grünebaum Prizes to young artists and scientists every year.