25th Viadrina Prize goes to Steffen Möller – Award ceremony and cabaret show on 21 May at the Kleist Forum

The European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) is awarding the 25th Viadrina Prize to the bestselling author, actor and cabaret artist Steffen Möller. With this award, the university honours his literary work and his artistic work as an entertainer and actor, with which he has contributed in a special way to a deeper understanding between Germany and Poland for many years. The laudatory speech will be held by the writer Radek Knapp. The Viadrina Sponsorship Award goes to the student theatre festival Unithea.

The award ceremony, followed by a cabaret show and drinks, will take place on Thursday, 21 May at 4.00 pm at the Kleist Forum, Platz der Einheit 1 in Frankfurt (Oder). Admission is free.

The event can be followed in German and Polish and is organised in cooperation with the Kleist Forum.

Since 1999, the European University Viadrina has been awarding the Viadrina Prize to personalities and initiatives from all areas of social life who have rendered outstanding services to understanding, reconciliation and cooperation between Germany and Poland.

"Most popular German in Poland and Germany's best-known Pole" – Statement by the Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees of the Viadrina Prize Foundation honours Steffen Möller, a personality who has had a lasting impact on German-Polish relations in the fields of culture and entertainment for decades. Steffen Möller is one of the best-known and most popular Germans in Poland and probably Germany's best-known Pole. The literary and artistic work of the award-winning writer, artist and entertainer is exemplary for German-Polish exchange and provides many people on both sides of the Oder with a humorous and at the same time reflective approach to the culture of the respective neighbouring country.

About the award winner Steffen Möller 
Steffen Möller was born in Wolfhagen near Kassel in 1969 and grew up in Wuppertal. After studying in Berlin, he emigrated to Poland in 1994. He worked as a German lecturer at the University of Warsaw for eight years before becoming known in Poland and Germany for his comedy, acting, entertainment and writing.
In 2002, he came second in the national cabaret competition PAKA in Krakow. A year later, he was given a role in the popular Polish TV series "M jak miłość", in which he played a German potato farmer for five years. At the same time, he appeared in the TV show "Europa da się lubić". In 2005, he hosted the Polish version of "Wetten, dass...?" and received the Federal Cross of Merit in the same year.
In 2008, he published his book "Viva Polonia – als deutscher Gastarbeiter in Polen", which was on the Spiegel bestseller list for almost a year. Further books followed, including "Expedition to the Poles" and "Polish Couple Therapy". Since 2025, he has been on the road with his programme "President of Poland".

About the Viadrina Prize
The Viadrina Prize stands for international understanding, peace and freedom in a common Europe and thus for the values that form the foundation of the Viadrina, which was founded in 1991 as the European University. Previous prizewinners include writer Günter Grass, journalist Adam Krzemiński, politician Prof Dr Rita Süssmuth, director Volker Schlöndorff, politician Hans-Dietrich Genscher and director Agnieszka Holland. The prize is awarded annually and is endowed with 5,000 euros. In addition, a sponsorship prize of 1,000 euros is awarded annually.

Sponsorship prize for the student theatre festival Unithea
This year, the student theatre festival Unithea is being honoured with the sponsorship prize. Conceived, organised and run by students, the festival has become a cultural institution in Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice in its 25-year history. The Board of Trustees thus honours a project that shapes the cultural profile of the twin city and contributes to the emergence of a new, cross-border perspective on the European neighbourhood.