Annette Dittert wins Bayern 2-Publikumspreis for ‘Dear Britain
Annette Dittert won the Bayern 2-Publikumspreis for her book “Dear Britain,” as listeners selected the work as their favorite book of 2026 from five nominated titles.
Ten Years After Brexit Through the Eyes of Annette Dittert
In “Dear Britain,” the author and long-serving ARD correspondent delivers a comprehensive assessment of the United Kingdom a decade after the Brexit. Dittert documents a deeply polarized society defined by sharp economic divides between rich and poor. The narrative captures the diverging identities of the English, Scots, and Welsh, contrasting local community spirit with stubborn regional independence. While maintaining an entertaining tone, the book is political.
Five best-selling titles competed for the 2026 listener prize alongside the winning work. The shortlist featured “Lázár” by Nelio Biedermann, “Nein sagen” by Matthias Brandt, “Die Riesinnen” by Hannah Häffner, and “Pina fällt aus” by Vera Zischke.
Broader Recognition at the Bavarian Book Awards
The audience award formed part of the wider Bayerischen Buchpreis ceremony, which also honored Shida Bazyar in the fiction category for her novel “Die Lücken.” Bazyar’s narrative explores the fictional town of Heimesbach from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present, tracking the histories of Jewish families, Nazi profiteers, and later Iranian refugees such as the Sharifi and Karimpour families. The jury characterized the novel as a provincial story with global significance, praising its meticulous construction of a collective societal portrait through individual fates.
In the non-fiction category, Susanne Heim received recognition for “Die Abschottung der Welt.” Heim examined the barriers constructed by free nations against Jewish refugees prior to the Nazi state’s prohibition of emigration and organization of mass murder. The jury commended the study for its historical scope and contemporary relevance. During her acceptance speech, Heim emphasized that historical examinations of refugee movements should encourage deeper public attention toward the voices of displaced people rather than technical bureaucratic terminology.
The state also presented its honorary prize to journalist and author Stefan Aust. Florian Herrmann, head of the Bavarian State Chancellery and State Minister for Federal Affairs and Media, delivered the laudatory speech on behalf of Minister President Markus Söder, commending Aust for a journalistic career marked by analytical clarity and historical awareness.