The entire jury has resigned since the prize's founder, businessman Thomas Berman and his wife Catharina, wanted to stop this year's winner Georges Didi-Huberman.
The Berman couple claims it's about bias, as philosopher Didi-Huberman's books are published by the publishing house Faethon, which is run by the prize's chairman Daniel Pedersen.
It's unethical and it's a conflict of interests. And we tried to get them to change their minds. We tried to get them to choose another nominee, says Thomas Berman to Svenska Dagbladet.
The Berman Prize was established in 2020 and is worth 750,000 kronor. It is intended to reward an author who works in the spirit of the Jewish tradition.
Georges Didi-Huberman, like Pedersen, has strongly criticized the Israeli government's warfare in Gaza. According to information provided to Aftonbladet, it was part of the discussion. Pedersen tells the newspaper that he has been told by the donors that he has expressed himself too critically about Israel's policy.
Thomas Berman denies this.
We don't discuss politics, it has nothing to do with the matter, he says to Svenska Dagbladet.
The Berman couple hopes to be able to assemble a new jury, but doesn't believe the prize will be awarded this year.
