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Buxtehude Bull double award in anniversary year

Wendelin Van Draanen and Alan Gratz to personally receive their awards on November 11th

Buxtehude. The Hanseatic city of Buxtehude, or “Books-tehude”, as it is also affectionately known, is celebrating its youth literature award, launched by Winfried Ziemann 50 years ago, with many events this year. The anniversary year’s highlight will be the Buxtehude Bull youth literature award official award ceremony, endowed with 5 000 euros, on Thursday, November 11th from 6.30 p.m. at the Halepaghen stage, Konopkastraße 5. The organizers are especially happy this year as, after the pandemic last year, the usual procedure: Shortlist – Jury Decision -Award Presentation, was interrupted and the public events could only take place online.

Ulrike Mensching, the Buxtehude Bull’s project manager: “We worried for a long time, planned, then had to throw it all in again and are now full of anticipation that in the 50th year of the Buxtehude Bull we will personally be able to honor and welcome two authors - Wendelin Van Draanen and Alan Gratz, in Buxtehude. This is not necessarily so a given in these times, and especially expresses the special appreciation for the award."

US-American author, Wendelin Van Draanen, was awarded the 49th prize for her book, “Eight Weeks Desert” (Magellan-Verlag, translated by Jessika Komina, Sandra Knuffinke).

Author, Alan Gratz, also from the USA, receives the 50th Buxtehude Bull for his youth book, “Refugee” (Hanser Verlag, translated by Meritxell Janina Piel).

Buxtehude’s Mayor, Katja Oldenburg-Schmidt, will officially present the Buxtehude Bulls to the two award winners. Dietmar Wunder (dubbed German voice of Daniel Craig as "James Bond") and literary blogger Anne Sauer will host the evening. Sauer is also known as an influencer by the name "fuxbooks". The double award ceremony will take place under 3G regulations of a reduced number of seats. Public ticket sales begin on November 4th at the Culture & Tourism Service Center. Admission is free.

In the days leading up to the award ceremony, Wendelin Van Draanen and Alan Gratz will be meeting with their young readers within Buxtehude. At school readings and gatherings with their respective Bull jury members, there is plenty of time to exchange and discuss their books and literature.

On Wednesday, November 10th, you will have the opportunity to get to know the US authors informally. From 3:30 p.m. the “BULL-evard”, Buxtehude's Walk of Fame, will receive two new brass plates. The unveiling of the literary star for Wendelin Van Draanen will take place in front of the Roastery Iwersen (Ostfleth 36) and then in front of Schmidt Musikmarkt (bei der Kirche 2-4) for Alan Gratz - both together with our town mayor. No registration required.

Also on Wednesday, November 10th, from 6.30 p.m., Deck 1 (in the old painting school (ADRESSE)) invites you to “an evening with Wendelin Van Draanen and Alan Gratz” in German and English. Tickets for the event (also under 3G regulations) are available from October 20th at the Service Center Culture & Tourism (Historic Town Hall, Breite Straße 2, Buxtehude T: 04161 501-2345). Admission: 5 Euros, free for youths up to 18 years of age.

A video, with the highlights of the Bull’s Anniversary Week and the award ceremony, is expected to be available from November 15th on the Hanseatic city of Buxtehude YouTube channel.