2,000 guests joined the 13th award ceremony for GOLDEN HEN at Berlin’s Friedrichstadtpalast on Wednesday night. GOLDEN HEN, East Germany’s most important media award, is sponsored by the magazine SUPERillu. This year, there were ten award categories, with the winners in the categories Sports, TV/Entertainment, TV/Acting and Music elected by the magazine’s readers and the viewers of public TV station MDR.

The German Minister for Transport, Wolfgang Tiefensee, presented the GOLDEN HEN in the category Music to the band “City”. The sports award went to handball coach Heiner Brand and his team. Nazan Eckes presented the TV/entertainment award to Hape Kerkeling, while Maria Furtwängler received the distinction (category TV/acting) from Hannes Jaenicke. 

Conductor Kurt Masur was honored with a lifetime award. Special emphasis was given to his accomplishments during the time shortly before the German reunification, as MDR Director Udo Reiter pointed out. Ursula von der Leyen, Federal Minister for Family Affairs, received a GOLDEN HEN for her efforts to help reunified Germany grow together. Hansi Hinterseer presented the surprise award to folk music singers Marianne und Michael.

GOLDEN HEN further recognized the charity commitment of Maria Kohl, founder of the initiative “Children’s Dreams”. Another sports award went to boxing trainer Manfred Wolke. For the first time in the history of GOLDEN HEN, viewers were given the chance to participate in a telephone voting during the award ceremony. Callers made singer Helene Fischer their “Shooting Star of the Year”.

The show was presented by TV host Andera Kiewel. Live acts included Annett Louisan, City and Hansi Hinterseer. Among the guests: Heino Ferch, Suzanne von Borsody, Wolfgang Stumph, Cherno Jobatey and Ursula Karven.