Panorama

Philippe Sands receives Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in Frankfurt

French-British jurist Philippe Sands was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade at the close of the Frankfurt Book Fair.

11 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

AI-generatedWritten by an AI system, editorially responsible — how we work

Philippe Sands receives Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in Frankfurt — Photo: Harald Krichel · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On Sunday, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade was awarded to Philippe Sands as part of the Frankfurt Book Fair. The French-British jurist and author has gained international recognition, particularly for his work at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

In his acceptance speech, Sands criticized Germany's "indecent silence" regarding Israel. He urged that violations of international law be clearly identified, stressing that such statements are not anti-Semitic or anti-Israel. Sands is a descendant of Holocaust survivors, which made his address particularly urgent.

Sands receives a cash award of 25,000 euros for the Peace Prize. The prize is traditionally awarded at the close of the book fair and honors individuals dedicated to peace and understanding.

The Frankfurt Book Fair is regarded as one of the most significant book fairs in the world, attracting numerous authors, publishers, and literature enthusiasts each year. Philippe Sands' books blend literary ambition with historical facts, which was also highlighted in his laudation.

In addition to the award itself, Sands was recognized for his contributions to discussions on universal justice and human rights. He is known for his commitment to fighting human rights violations and environmental destruction, which he seeks to establish as international crimes.

The event took place at St. Paul's Church, a historic site of German democracy. Philippe Sands' critical remarks on Germany's treatment of Israel garnered considerable attention in the public sphere and media coverage.

This item was written by an AI system on the basis of the headlines and short teasers of the independently operating newsrooms named below. We disclose this under Art. 50(4), second subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act). Before publication we check origin and verifiability — anything that appears in only one place is not published — as well as language, substance and legally sensitive content. No separate substantive review of each individual item by a natural person takes place; we therefore do not rely on the exemption in Art. 50(4), second subparagraph, of the AI Act. Editorial responsibility for this publication rests with the person named in the imprint (§ 18 Abs. 2 MStV). Please report errors to [email protected] — we will correct or remove the item. Full reports are available from the sources listed.