Frankfurt – November 06, 2026 -- ING Deutschland has distributed €30,000 in prize money at the 31st Helmut Schmidt Journalism Prize, with Bayerischer Rundfunk taking first place from 261 submissions. A jury selected the winners in economic and financial journalism, and the ceremony was held at the Literaturhaus in Frankfurt.
Bayerischer Rundfunk wins €15,000 first prize for scam documentary
The multi-part documentary series "Kings of Scam – Millionen mit Fake-SMS" from the broadcaster's "team.recherche" unit explains how organized online fraud networks operate. The jury credited its portrayal of victims as relatable individuals rather than naive losers, and its transparent, self-ironic narration.
Der Spiegel earns €10,000 second prize for tracing Wirecard fugitive Marsalek to Moscow
"Der Spion, der in die Kälte ging" documents how fugitive former Wirecard manager Jan Marsalek was located in Moscow. The jury said the work, produced with international media partners, uncovered a previously hidden piece of what it called the largest accounting and business scandal in German post-war history.
Handelsblatt reporters receive €5,000 third prize for Palantir coverage
Felix Holtermann and Thomas Jahn won for "Die Geheimnisse von Palantir", which examines the US software maker and its cooperation with state institutions. The jury highlighted exclusive access and an unconventional interview with CEO Alex Karp.
Freelancer Luisa Wick secures €15,000 fellowship to investigate hospital crisis
The HSJP Fellowship 2026 funds Wick's proposed investigation into struggling German hospitals and their use of public funds. The grant combines an ING Deutschland stipend with mentoring by freelance journalists Felix Rohbeck and Oliver Schröm. It targets young journalists planning crossmedia investigative projects.
The prize was first awarded in 1996.