Max Grünebaum Award Ceremony 2025

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.

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.