While Israel has declared German poet/writer Gunter Grass ‘persona non grata’, the Nobel Prize Committee is signaling it will not retract the Nobel Prize for Literature awarded to his country’s leading writer.
A group of Israeli writers called on the Nobel Committee to reconsider its decision based on Grass’ staunch anti-Israel position, citing his “shameful and immoral views” pertaining to his publication of a poem on the Mideast in which he portrays Israel and a major threat to regional peace.
“I wish to point out that Mr Grass received his Nobel Prize in 1999 on literary merit and literary merit alone — this applies to all recipients,” the Academy’s permanent secretary, Peter Englund, stated in response to the Israeli request to retract the prestigious award.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
The Nobel Prize for Literature is every bit as much a joke as the one for Peace. It has for decades been awarded through politics and horse trading, and has nothing to do with merit. The only Nobels worth anything are the ones for the sciences.
Gunter Gras should be careful with his words! This reminds me of another Nobel Prize “winner”…Barack Obama.
When it was announced that the president won, I saw an auto repair shop sign saying, “Free Nobel Prize with oil change.”