Berlin ILAB bookseller Elvira Tasbach Awarded the Max Herrmann Prize 2026

The Max Herrmann Prize commemorates the literary scholar and librarian Max Herrmann (1865–1942), who was persecuted by the National Socialist regime and died during deportation to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. From 1979 to 1991, the East German State Library awarded an internal prize bearing his name to particularly dedicated members of staff. Since 2000, a renewed Max Herrmann Prize has been presented, usually on 10 May, the anniversary of the Nazi book burnings that took place in 1933 on Berlin’s Bebelplatz, directly adjacent to the State Library.

The award honours individuals who have rendered exceptional service to libraries and to the Berlin State Library in particular. It may also recognise writers, scholars, publishers, librarians, or other cultural figures who have experienced political persecution, as well as those committed to preserving the memory of victims of the Nazi regime.

The jury noted that antiquarian booksellers and libraries share a common mission: the preservation, study, and dissemination of written cultural heritage.

For nearly four decades, Berlin-based bookseller Elvira Tasbach has devoted her professional life to rare books and manuscripts. In addition to running her business, she has long been active within the German rare book trade. As a member of the board and Vice President of the Verband Deutscher Antiquare (Association of German Antiquarian Booksellers), she is known for her ideas and commitment to the profession.

Announcing the award, the jury, chaired by former German Federal Minister Peter Altmaier, Chairman of the Friends of the Berlin State Library, highlighted not only Tasbach’s expertise as a bookseller but also her wider civic engagement. Numerous social, artistic, and historical organisations have benefited from her support. The jury also praised her generosity towards the Berlin State Library, which received as a gift the Catalog der Bücher im Besitz seiner Exzellenz Herrn Freiherrn Alexander’s von Humboldt (“Catalogue of the Books in the Possession of His Excellency Baron Alexander von Humboldt”), containing more than 1,000 manuscript annotations by Humboldt himself.

The gift provides a fitting link to the forthcoming ILAB Symposium, which will be held at the Berlin State Library on 17 September 2026 as part of Rare Book Week Berlin. During the symposium, the Humboldt catalogue will be presented and discussed as a case study in successful collaboration between libraries and the antiquarian book trade. The session will explore the important role antiquarian booksellers play in identifying, preserving, and placing significant historical material in public collections, thereby contributing to scholarship, cultural heritage preservation, and the continued development of library collections.

The laudatory speech at the award ceremony was delivered by Thedel von Wallmoden, publisher of Wallstein Verlag and Chairman of the Historical Commission of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association and can be read >> HERE (German language)

The Max Herrmann Prize is one of Germany’s most distinguished honours in the field of libraries and cultural heritage. By awarding the 2026 prize to Elvira Tasbach, the jury has recognised a career dedicated not only to the study and preservation of books and manuscripts, but also to fostering collaboration between the antiquarian book trade, libraries, and the wider cultural community.