Five Plus One – denkmal Gold Medals 2026 Have Been Awarded!

The jury for the 2026 denkmal Gold Medal has honoured five exhibitors. The Gold Medal was awarded to:

The Schwarzbuch (Black Book) of the German Foundation for Monument Protection for highlighting losses caused by the demolition of listed cultural treasures and demonstrating that rescue is possible.

Glashütte Lamberts Waldsassen GmbH for market development, training and continuing education, as well as innovative strength in the production of high-quality mouth-blown window glass for cultural heritage.

Paul Lorenz Handwerksbetrieb der Denkmalpflege for 100 years of experience in the manufacture and restoration of historic lighting fixtures, and for preserving and passing on the rare craft of metal sculpting in the tradition of the Gürtler trade.

Ukraine Art Aid Center e. V. for the evacuation and rescue of Ukrainian cultural assets in the face of their imminent destruction, and for documenting what could no longer be saved.

Vogtlandpioniere for the Schüler.Handwerk 3.0 project, which provides young people with practical knowledge of monument conservation and traditional craft techniques.

A special jury prize was awarded to the Confédération des Compagnonnages Européens. It is represented at denkmal by the Förderverein der europäischen Gesellenzünfte Deutschlands e. V.

The awards were presented on Friday, 6 November 2026, during denkmal. They are awarded by Leipziger Messe.

Gold Medals for Innovation, Craftsmanship and Commitment

“With the 2026 Gold Medals, the jury honours a broad range of individuals and organisations making outstanding contributions to monument conservation. The initiatives and companies recognised today have distinguished themselves through innovation and new methods in the field. Other award winners have helped ensure, through longstanding business traditions, that important professions and valuable knowledge are preserved. The Gold Medal has also been awarded to initiatives whose commitment helps safeguard monuments for future generations,” says Markus Geisenberger, Managing Director of Leipziger Messe.

With the special prize, the jury also recognises a European tradition that combines craftsmanship with the transfer of knowledge and experience from one generation to the next. Geisenberger adds: “I am particularly pleased about the decision to present this special prize. The journeymen and journeywomen of the Confédération des Compagnonnages Européens are an important part of the message that denkmal conveys across Europe.”

Who was nominated, and who made the decision?

The denkmal Gold Medal honours outstanding achievements in European monument conservation. It recognises projects and products that safeguard historic objects, employ innovative technologies and materials, advance digital applications, preserve traditional craft skills or demonstrate exceptional commitment to cultural heritage.

From 58 submissions, the jury had nominated 16 exhibitors for the denkmal Gold Medal.

The Gold Medal winners were selected by a distinguished jury. Leipziger Messe thanks its members for their professional commitment. The jury members are:

• Prof. Dr Thomas Drachenberg, State Conservator and Deputy Director, Brandenburg State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and Archaeological State Museum

• Dipl.-Ing. Alf Furkert, Head of Office and Saxon State Conservator, Saxon State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

• Dr Uwe Koch, President of Europa Nostra

• Dr Titus Kockel, Head of the Cultural Affairs Department, Central Association of German Crafts

• Dr Constanze Küsel, First Chairwoman, Dachverband Lehm

• Dr Ursula Schirmer, Head of the Press Office and Press Spokeswoman, German Foundation for Monument Protection

• Dipl.-Ing. Volker Schweizer, Head of Department, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft for the Advancement of Applied Research

• Constantin Strobel, Project Dircetor of denkmal

• Dipl.-Rest. Sven Taubert, Association of Restorers (VDR)

Images of all award recipients are available in our cloud. Password: denkmalmutec. Please use the following photo credit: “Leipziger Messe, Tom Schulze.”