Overview
- Axel Springer confirmed Wednesday that Peter Thiel will receive the non‑monetary Axel Springer Award in Berlin on Thursday, September 24, and CEO Mathias Döpfner publicly defended the decision as recognition of Thiel’s role in shaping technology and markets.
- Employees and critics have protested inside Springer’s Berlin building and cultural institutions have pushed back, with Vienna’s Festwochen canceling a planned event with Thiel after artists withdrew in response to his views.
- German states including Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine‑Westphalia and Baden‑Württemberg use Palantir’s Gotham software, and critics say those contracts raise concrete questions about reliance on a U.S. vendor and the security of sensitive police data.
- Reporting on a Wired data leak about Thiel’s Dialog Society that listed participants — including German politician Jens Spahn — has sharpened concerns about private transatlantic networks influencing politics and policy discussions.
- Thiel’s past support for Donald Trump, his 2009 essay questioning the fit of freedom and democracy, and recent attention to his interest in the theological concept of the 'Katechon' have deepened public unease and could increase pressure on governments and cultural groups to review contracts and partnerships.