Many guests accepted the invitation of the Exile Archive of the DNB, the PEN Center of German-speaking Authors Abroad and the RWG to attend the honor, organized as part of the Frankfurt Days of Exile.
Dr. Sylvia Asmus, head of the German Exile Archive of the DNB, welcomed the festive community to the place of persecution and crime, pain of expulsion and homecoming movingly documented – it was an honor to receive the contemporary witness right here.
A deep impression was left by the moving laudation of the literary mediator Lutz Kliche, Ruth’s long-time companion on reading trips and connoisseur of her novel work. Ms. Vietor-Engländer presented the Ovid Prize for the PEN Board and as a member of the jury – from whose justification was quoted:
The jury justifies its decision with the fact that Ruth Weiss is an outstanding representative of the german Jewish generation, who were driven into exile in South Africa by the Nazi regime. She is considered a sought-after business journalist and has earned a significant reputation as an intrepid civil rights activist against the apartheid system in South Africa in the 1970s/80s.
Ruth Weiss modestly thanks her – and then in conversation with Martin-Maria Schwarz (to be heard in hr2-kultur on 18.10. and then via link here), offers the audience an insight into her wide-ranging work – to experience – ‘black and white’ and yet so colorful! In the references to Ruth’s often difficult but also enriching life experiences in many countries of her work, the deep attachment of the laureate with all the people who gave her the energy to a new beginning in repeated exile situations was repeatedly shown – a home through friendships. Their efforts to create a more tolerant and understanding society are having an impact in many countries and call on us to participate.
In its contribution to the award, the Frankfurter Rundschau was able to celebrate the journalist Ruth Weiss as one of its own.