The Hansel-Mieth Prize 2021 goes to an anonymous reporter. The reportage „The Colony of Fighters” illuminates China's influence on the metropolis of Hong Kong. For the magazine Geo The journalist accompanied Hong Kong activists – and witnessed their radicalization. The author, who is also the photographer of this story, must remain anonymous for his own protection and that of those involved. The identity of all persons, quotes, and actions in this reportage have been GeoFact-check verified.
For the Hansel-Mieth Prize, which is being awarded for the 22nd time this year, 116 applications were submitted. It is endowed with 6,000 Euros.
The reporter collective Zeitenspiegel Reportagen commemorates its honorary member Johanna „Hansel“ Mieth, who died in 1998, with the prize. She worked as a photojournalist for the American magazine Life dedicated to social issues. The prize honors outstanding committed reports. Text and photos are evaluated equally.
The following features were also awarded. They will be published together with the winning entry in the anthology „Hansel-Mieth-Preis 2021“ (Schwoerer Verlag); the book can be ordered from Zeitenspiegel Reportagen (agentur@zeitenspiegel.de).
Title: „The enemy at your heels“, Author: Vivian Pasquet, Photographer: Daniel Etter, Geo
Title: „Forever Punk“, Author: Roland Schulz, Photographer: Nikita Teryoshin, Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazine
Title: „The Grapes of Wrath“, Author: Wolfgang Bauer, Photographer: Andy Spyra, Zeit Magazine
Title: „And what does the whale want?“, Author: Johannes Böhme, Photographer: Eduardo Díaz, Zeit Magazine
Title: „Suspense“, Author: Christiane Lutz, Photographer: Sebastian Beck, Süddeutsche Zeitung
Title: „Mothers Against the Mafia“, Author: Jan Christoph Wiechmann, Photographer: Karl Mancini, Geo Perspective
Title: „Struggle for Tenderness“, Author: Matthias Stolz, Photographer: Jelka von Langen, Zeit Magazine
Title: „Another world“, Author: Félice Gritti, Photographer: Stephan Lucka, Strict
Title: „The Crack“, Author: Elisa Schwarz, Photographer: Alessandra Schellnegger, Süddeutsche Zeitung
The jury:
Amrai Coen (The time), Ingrid Eißele (Zeitenspiegel Reportagen), Christoph Borgans (freelance reporter), Gesa Gottschalk (Geo), Anton Hunger (Publicist), Georg Mair (ff – The South Tyrolean Weekly Magazine), Stephanie Nannen (freelance writer), Ulrike Posche (Strict), Michael Schmieder (Journalist), Alexander Smoltczyk (The Mirror), Peter Unterthurner (freelance photographer), Jonas Wresch (freelance photographer)
The Hansel-Mieth award ceremony will take place on September 23, 2021, at 7 PM in the Fellbach Town Hall (near Stuttgart).