Penguin Random House | Munich, 04/07/2025

Joachim Gauck Receives Freiheitspreis der Medien 2025

Former German president and Siedler author Joachim Gauck is honored for his commitment to democracy and freedom with the Freiheitspreis der Medien (Freedom Prize of the Media). The renowned award will be presented during the Ludwig-Erhart-Gipfel / Tegernsee Summit on May 7, 2025 at Gut Kaltenbrunn in Gmund. Gauck will personally accept the award. The politics and business conference is organized by Weimer Media Group. The jury explains its decision: “Joachim Guack has dedicated his life to freedom, justice, and democracy. As a visionary and determined advocate of our free world, the 85-year-old is a role model in politically tense times. As Federal President, the Protestant theologian shaped social debates – and continues to do so to this day.” Freedom is the great theme of the Federal President’s life. Having to do without it shaped his childhood and youth in the GDR. Constantly redefining and defending it made him an intellectual freedom fighter for Germans in the 21st century. His eloquent power of interpretation, his philanthropic determination and perceptive commitment still make him the intellectual leader of a nation that has become insecure and of its freedom that is threatened in multiple ways. “Joachim Gauck is Germany’s contemporary apostle of freedom.” The Freiheitspreis der Medien goes to public figures who are particularly committed to freedom of expression, political dialog, and democracy. In 2024, Yulia Navalnaya and posthumously Alexey Navalny were honored. Navalnaya accepted the award in person and appeared in public for the first time after her husband’s death. In previous years, the award was given to Garry Kasparov, Volodymyr Zelensky, Jean-Claude Juncker and Mikhail Gorbachev, among others.