Born in 1947 in Krefeld, Germany, Margot Overath studied Social Sciences after having completed an apprenticeship as a bank teller and another in business management. In 1982 she started working as a freelancer for several divisions at the German public broadcaster ARD, and was hired as a permanent employee by Radio Bremen in 1982. She has worked as a radio feature author since 1984, and worked in parallel as a research assistant at the Hamburg Institute of Social Research from 1985 until 1988. Between 1996 and 1999 Overath had a second job teaching aspiring journalists at the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg. Her journalistic work has included in-depth analysis of the RAF (Red Army Faction) terrorism in Germany, which culminated in features such as the one about the RAF deserter Peter-Jürgen Boock (WDR West German Public Broadcasting, RBB Berlin Public Broadcasting 1985) or a biographical work about Gudrun Ensslin (RBB Berlin Brandenburg Public Broadcasting, WDR West German Public Broadcasting, NDR North German Public Broadcasting 2005) and contemporary as well as historical analyses such as "Ausweglos. Selbstmorde in Wendezeiten" ("No way out. Suicides in times of change") (RBB Berlin Public Broadcasting, SFB Free Berlin Public Broadcasting, DLF German public radio station 1992); "Es ist schwer, damit zu leben. Vom Trauma namens Auschwitz" ("It is hard to live with it. About the trauma named Auschwitz") (RBB Berlin Public Broadcasting 1994) and "Todesmarsch. Die Evakuierung der Konzentrationslager von Januar bis Mai 1945" ("Death March. The evacuation of the concentration camps from January until May 1945") (DRadio-Berlin, RBB Berlin Public Broadcasting 1995). Margot Overath has been honoured on various occasions for her features on the asylum seeker Oury Jalloh from Sierra Leone, who died while in police custody in Dessau, Germany in 2005. Margot Overath was the only journalist who covered the legal investigation of the fatality through all levels of German jurisdiction, and she questioned the results of investigations by police and the public prosecution department in two features ("Verbrannt in Polizeizelle Nummer fünf. Der Tod des Asylbewerbers Oury Jalloh in Dessau" ("Burned to death in police cell number five. The death of the asylum seeker Oury Jalloh in Dessau"), MDR Central German Public Broadcasting, DLF German public radio station, NDR North German Public Broadcasting 2010 and "Oury Jalloh. Die widersprüchlichen Wahrheiten eines Todesfalls" ("Oury Jalloh. The contradictory truths of a case of death"), MDR Central German Public Broadcasting, WDR West German Public Broadcasting, NDR North German Public Broadcasting 2014). Her investigations are part of the reason why police have begun a murder investigation against persons unknown.

Paul Kohl, born 1937 in Cologne, studied Theatre Sciences and German in Cologne and Vienna from 1960 to 1964. Between 1965 and 1970 he worked as an author and interpreter for various broadcasters in Brussels. Since 1970, Paul Kohl lives in Berlin and works as a radio author. His great narrating talent and the wide range of subjects is what makes Paul Kohl’s radio work unique. Since the mid 1980s he has been dealing with historical subjects (Steh auf, es ist Krieg. Vom Überfall auf die Sowjetunion/Stand up, we’re at war. About the German invasion of the Soviet Union, 1986); biographies (Der Fall Herbert Häber. Vom Politbüro in die Psychiatrie/The Herbert Häber case. From Politburo to psychiatry, 1999); contemporary history (Wer ermordete Alfred Herrhausen/Who killed Alfred Herrhausen, 1997; Ground Zero New York, 2002) but he is also interested in ecological topics (Strom vom eigenen Dach: Sonnenenergie/Electricity from your own roof: solar energy, 1994) and general cultural phenomena (Volles Rohr: Kampfbahn Autobahn/Full throttle: racing arena Autobahn, 1992). Paul Kohl does not give to much priority to himself or the results of his intense research, which he rather uses as the basis of his insistent questions. He unexcitedly renders statements and arguments into a precise language, carefully opposes them to counterarguments and arranges the outcome in a brilliant dramatic composition. The author never hides his own view on the subject. However, this careful arrangement of different elements still gives enough space for the listener to form his own opinion. Paul Kohl does not want to propagate the one and only right "truth", he rather tries to enlighten his audience with the help of information. Paul Kohl is also author of numerous books. Among others, his publications include Fulda Gap. Die Militarisierung Deutschlands (Fulda Gap. The militarisation of Germany), 1984; Schöne Grüße aus Minsk (Greetings from Minsk), 2011 or Nacht über Köln (Night over Cologne), 2011.

Friedrich Schütze-Quest (born 1943) was an editor and reporter at Westdeutscher Rundfunk and Saarländischer Rundfunk and then radio correspondent in Australia and Asia. Today he works as a freelance author for ARD. Schütze-Quest was on the road in around 60 countries - on all continents; in addition to time radio reporting, his research, which often lasted for months, resulted in radio features for ARD (which were also broadcast regularly in Austria and Switzerland). In some cases, the success of the radio broadcasts also led to television documentaries by the author, such as "Hallo Erde, hier ist der Mond" ("Hello Earth, Here is the Moon") - a cult film in the meantime and the most frequently repeated film on ARD television in general.

Friedrich Schütze-Quest died on 1 September 2016.

The Austrian author duo Richard Goll (65) and Alfred Treiber (66) have been awarded the "Axel-Eggebrecht-Preis" 2010 by the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation. The two radio pioneers took the award from the hands of Andreas Koch, board member of Sparkasse Leipzig, while Koch quoted the patron saint of the prize, who saw the essence of the feature in the author's ability to know and love his subject: "With Richard Goll and Alfred Treiber, we are honoring two great names in this genre today who live and implement the high standards of Eggebrecht perfectly in their work," said Koch. The laudatory speech was held by Peter Leonhard Braun, another feature great, who has been closely familiar with the work of the duo Goll/Treiber since the 1970s. "What I admire most about the two of them is their fearlessness, their not being afraid of people or authorities, their cold and hard eye for the effectiveness of a program and their hot heart for the cause," Braun said. "You almost never have this combination. Even in an international comparison this is unprecedented. Braun also thanked the media foundation for its commitment. To honour radio pioneers such as Richard Goll and Alfred Treiber, who have written European radio history, is a good thing for Leipzig.

The laureates described their commitment to the feature as a long way through the ORF authorities, which had been marked by tough battles. In doing so, they also benefited from the experience and support of their colleagues in Germany: "Without German development aid, many things would have been a little different," said Treiber. "The fact of being praised in the name of Axel Eggebrecht is therefore something extraordinary for us.

In addition to Braun, this year's jury included the Axel Eggebrecht Award Winner of the Year 2008, Helmut Kopetzky, Dr. Peter Klein (Vienna, Head of the Literature, Radio Play and Feature Department at ORF), Heinz Klunker (Berlin, Head of Feature Deutschlandfunk 1977-1997) as well as Linde Rotta (Leipzig, freelance author, initiator of the Leipzig Radio Writing Workshop). The jury had to deal with an extraordinarily strong field of competition. It had before it the complete works of 11 candidates, proposed by ARD, ORF and the Association of German Writers. Although the importance of the nominations would have allowed the jury to award the Life Work Prize five times, it unanimously decided in favor of the historical broadcasting achievement of Richard Goll and Alfred Treiber. The catalogue of Richard Goll's and Alfred Treiber's works contains more than 100 features. They received national and international awards, founded the Feature Editorial Office at ORF and soon began recruiting and training potential comrades-in-arms throughout Austria. Today, after 30 years of programming, the features are among the flagships of the cultural channel Österreich 1.

The Austrian author duo Richard Goll (65) and Alfred Treiber (66) have been awarded the "Axel-Eggebrecht-Preis" 2010 by the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation. The two radio pioneers took the award from the hands of Andreas Koch, board member of Sparkasse Leipzig, while Koch quoted the patron saint of the prize, who saw the essence of the feature in the author's ability to know and love his subject: "With Richard Goll and Alfred Treiber, we are honoring two great names in this genre today who live and implement the high standards of Eggebrecht perfectly in their work," said Koch. The laudatory speech was held by Peter Leonhard Braun, another feature great, who has been closely familiar with the work of the duo Goll/Treiber since the 1970s. "What I admire most about the two of them is their fearlessness, their not being afraid of people or authorities, their cold and hard eye for the effectiveness of a program and their hot heart for the cause," Braun said. "You almost never have this combination. Even in an international comparison this is unprecedented. Braun also thanked the media foundation for its commitment. To honour radio pioneers such as Richard Goll and Alfred Treiber, who have written European radio history, is a good thing for Leipzig.

The laureates described their commitment to the feature as a long way through the ORF authorities, which had been marked by tough battles. In doing so, they also benefited from the experience and support of their colleagues in Germany: "Without German development aid, many things would have been a little different," said Treiber. "The fact of being praised in the name of Axel Eggebrecht is therefore something extraordinary for us.

In addition to Braun, this year's jury included the Axel Eggebrecht Award Winner of the Year 2008, Helmut Kopetzky, Dr. Peter Klein (Vienna, Head of the Literature, Radio Play and Feature Department at ORF), Heinz Klunker (Berlin, Head of Feature Deutschlandfunk 1977-1997) as well as Linde Rotta (Leipzig, freelance author, initiator of the Leipzig Radio Writing Workshop). The jury had to deal with an extraordinarily strong field of competition. It had before it the complete works of 11 candidates, proposed by ARD, ORF and the Association of German Writers. Although the importance of the nominations would have allowed the jury to award the Life Work Prize five times, it unanimously decided in favor of the historical broadcasting achievement of Richard Goll and Alfred Treiber. The catalogue of Richard Goll's and Alfred Treiber's works contains more than 100 features. They received national and international awards, founded the Feature Editorial Office at ORF and soon began recruiting and training potential comrades-in-arms throughout Austria. Today, after 30 years of programming, the features are among the flagships of the cultural channel Österreich 1.

The Axel-Eggebrecht-Prize, first announced in 2008, goes to the feature author Helmut Kopetzky, who lives in Fulda. The author and publicist Axel Eggebrecht (1899-1991), who was born and grew up in Leipzig, was the patron saint of the prize. After the end of the Third Reich, he played a decisive role in the reconstruction of Deutsches Rundfunk and set the standards for the triumphal march of the then new programming form from Hamburg's NWDR. He is one of the great men of the German feature and therefore a demanding name for the very first award of the "Axel-Eggebrecht-Prize" for the life's work of a radio man. The Chairman of the Board of the Media Foundation and Chairman of the Board of Sparkasse Leipzig, Dr. Harald Langenfeld, sees the award not only as an important sign for the further positioning of Leipzig as a media location but also as a signal that Sparkasse Leipzig is aware of its social responsibility despite necessary restructuring measures. "There are hardly any comparable sponsorships in this field and that is why our two annually changing awards in connection with the 'Schreibwerkstatt Radio' in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are associated with the name Leipzig. This is good for the reputation of our city and what is good for the city is good for all of us".

The jury had 11 candidates, proposed by ARD, Schweizer Rundfunk and the Association of German Writers. The jury was most impressed by Helmut Kopetzky's oeuvre. His catalogue of works comprises well over 100 features and documentaries and spans a period of 35 years.

Kopetzky, born in 1940 in Mährisch-Schönberg, initially working as a journalist for daily newspapers in West Berlin and elsewhere, has repeatedly tackled hot issues in his radio work since 1972, be it the "peace movement", the "rocket summer", National Socialism, the newly strengthened Christian fundamentalism, the fate of the Sudeten Germans, the career of the People's Republic of China, the Middle East conflict or German reunification. The morality of his broadcasts does not remain superficial or bold; it is a personal attitude. That is why he proves to be subversive in the best sense of the word in his successful productions. This backbone of his existence as an author is complemented by great formal talent and the will to pass on his skills and knowledge in workshops on all continents. Kopetzky is an unerring formulator and a colourfully narrative radio man with an excellent feel for relevant topics, the jury judged. The jury praised the commitment of the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation to the radio feature: "First and foremost, the prize-giver is to be praised. Sparkasse Leipzig's Media Foundation has now turned its attentive funding policy to radio. From the daily ocean of its programme offering, the Media Foundation has chosen the most ambitious form of broadcasting for this medium. The feature, i.e. the radio documentary or the acoustic art form of information". In addition to Chairman Peter Leonhard Braun (RBB, PRIX EUROPA), the jury included Dr. Peter Klein (Head of the Feature, Features, Literature and Radio Play Department at ORF, Vienna), Heinz Klunker (Head of Feature Deutschlandfunk 1977-1997) and Linde Rotta as representatives of the Leipzig Media Foundation.

Franziska Sophie Dorau, born in Vienna in 1979, completed her bilingual education at the Lycée français de Vienne and then studied “Comparative Literature”, with a focus on English and Romance languages, at the University of Vienna and the Université III Paris Sorbonne Nouvelle. In April 2005, Dorau graduated with a thesis on “The Experimental Novel by Raymond Queneau, Jacques Roubaud and Italo Calvino”.

Amongst others, she gained her first professional experience as a directing and dramaturgy assistant in various theaters and as a freelance journalist for the daily Austrian newspaper Der Standard. In 2006 she became a freelancer in the cultural department of Ö1public radio. In addition to designing cultural articles for news programs and magazines, she worked as an author of mini-features on cultural topics for the “Leporello” series. Since 2010 she has worked regularly for the Ö1 feature editorial team, where she can pursue topics that she chooses herself as an author and director. She primarily deals with socio-political topics, as well as portraits of authors and artists.

In 2012, Franziska Sophie Dorau was awarded the Prix Europa for her third feature, “Life’s Holiday. On the care of European dementia patients in Thailand”. Her audio picture “The Death of Soumayla Sacko - Harvesters, Trade Unionists, Africans in Italy,” produced in 2019, was nominated for the Prix Europa and the Prix Italia and was awarded the prestigious CIVIS Media Prize for Integration and Cultural Diversity in Europe in the “long programs” category in 2020. Franziska Sophie Dorau has been living in Berlin with her family since September 2019. There she was a scholarship holder of the European Journalism Fellowship at the Free University of Berlin in the 2019/2020 university year. Most recently she worked for the ARD public radio feature (“Kabul's Democracy in Exile. Documentary about Afghan women representatives.”, SWR radio, 2023) and the ORF public radio, for which she produced several Ö1 soundtracks. She gave a lecture on the topic of “Storytelling in Audio Documentaries” at the University of Potsdam, as well as at the Ake Blomström Award and the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) Podcasting Masterclass. Franziska Sophie Dorau is currently busy with a project for the features editorial team at RBB public radio, in co-production with ORF.

Born in Marburg on Lahn in 1953, Lorenz Rollhäuser studied educational sciences in Münster. In the 1980s he ran a café in Hamburg. Since the 1990s, Rollhäuser has worked primarily as a feature and radio play author and producer for German public broadcasting ARD and Deutschlandfunk, and has traveled to numerous different countries in Africa and Latin America as well as to China and the United States for his work.

Rollhäuser's feature work covers a wide range: from sensitive portraits ("Aunt Friedel") to socially relevant topics such as migration ("Frontera - People and Walls on the Mexico-USA border") or colonialism ("House of the White Gentlemen" about the newly errected Humboldt Forum in Berlin) to investigative political research ("Painkillers - The opiate crisis in the USA" or "Out of control - Doping in football").

Rollhäuser's features have received numerous awards, such as the Prix Europa 2008 for "Mother's Shadow - Cleaning out the parents' house", a feature that paradigmatically shows how German post-war bourgeoisie is followed by a generation that rejects its values. The result is tension and ambivalence in the relationship between the two generations well into old age.

Dr Walter Filz (born 1959) studied German literature, philosophy and art history in Cologne and Zurich and received his doctorate in 1988 with a thesis on fairy tale motifs in contemporary literature. Filz has been working as an author, critic and cultural journalist, primarily for radio, since 1983. Since 1989 he has been an author and director - later also a producer - of radio features, and since 1996 of radio plays, which mostly work with documentary material. Between 1995 and 2004 he also worked for television.

Walter Filz has been working as an independent writer producer since 1997. In 2005 he took over the management of the literature and feature editorial team at SWR in Baden-Baden, and after a restructuring since 2017, the radio play and feature editorial team. As an editor, he continues to write and produce features and radio plays. In addition, the Cologne native deals with the complex socio- and psychopathological upheavals of his hometown in book publications, about which he wrote two books: "The monkey in Cologne" and "There is still Kangaroo tail soup left".

Walter Filz's work has won several awards: For example, his feature "On the aestheticization of cat food in the late 20th century" was awarded the Prix Futura 1991, while his radio play "Pitcher" won the Radio Play Prize of the War Blind 2000: His feature "To get and to have - eBay. Or: how wild is the exchange of goods" was awarded the Ernst Schneider Prize in 2006.

Alfred Koch was born in 1957 in Graz. After moving to Vienna in 1976, Koch began his radio career at the age of 19, first working on OE3's youth programme Musicbox. At the same time he studied philosophy, history and logistics in Vienna - an academic background that helped him become "the man who helps us understand Wittgenstein" on the cultural radio station OE1 in the 1980s. In the late 1980s Koch became a presenter and author of the series Diagonal - Radio für Zeitgenossen (Diagonal - Radio for contemporaries) on OE1 and in 1995 he was made a member of ORF's radio feature editorial department. Koch is the producer of the series Tonspuren - Hörbilder zur Literatur (Soundtracks - aural pictures on literature).

Thanks to his work as editor and author of this series, he helped the literature feature attract international attention - his feature on Raymond Carver became the ORF's most successful feature, with numerous adaptations in other countries. Alfred Koch has always shared his experience as a feature author in workshops for young journalists; he has assisted several radio festivals by working as a jury chairman. Alfred Koch has been honoured for many of his individual works, earning both national and international awards.