Goslar awards the Golden Tone” to Sven Regener for the first time!

Goslar awards the Golden Tone” to Sven Regener for the first time!

In a festive setting, the city of Goslar awarded the newly named “Golden Tone” music prize for the first time today, November 1, 2025. This honor, previously known under the controversial name “Paul Lincke Ring,” goes to Sven Regener, the charismatic musician and author who made a name for himself with his band Element of Crime. What is particularly noteworthy is that the award will be presented retrospectively for the year 2024, due to the namesake Paul Lincke's newly discovered connections to National Socialism.

Mayor Urte Schwerdtner (SPD) emphasized in her speech that Regener was “a poetic expert in ironic-laconic tenderness.” Regener, a native of Bremen, is valued not only for his musical achievements, but also for his personal passions. The fact that the award ceremony takes place in the Kurhaus Hahnenklee, the place where Paul Lincke died, well expresses the transformation of the prize from a controversial award to a new, light-hearted concept. This also provides an answer to the historical controversies: After allegations about Lincke's proximity to the Nazi regime in early 2024, the prize was renamed and the city is planning a comprehensive review of the history.

A prize with history

The Golden Tone is an undoped prize that is awarded to musicians who have made outstanding contributions to German-language music. Over the years, numerous well-known artists such as Udo Lindenberg, Max Raabe and Annett Louisan have received the award. With the renaming, the city of Goslar will also give way to the controversies surrounding previous award winners, some of whom have connections to the Nazi regime. The city is committed to further developing the culture of remembrance and, if necessary, taking further steps in this area.

The award ceremony was a celebratory affair in which Regener was recognized for his artistic achievements during the laudatory speech by director Leander Haußmann. Part of the ceremony also included the dedication of the winners to a new sound installation in the Hahnenklee Kurpark, which underlines the connection between music and nature in this picturesque setting.

A new beginning

Sven Regener is not only known as a musician, but has also caused a sensation with his book and the film “Herr Lehmann”. His current work on a new book shows that he continues to be creatively active. It remains to be seen how the award and the associated discussions about historical responsibility will develop. One thing is clear, however: The Golden Tone not only offers a new stage for excellent musicians, but also the opportunity to dare to critically examine history.

Overall, this step by the city of Goslar shows that it is learning from the past and at the same time celebrating the cultural diversity of the German-speaking area. After emerging from the shadows of its previous award, the Golden Tone could now bring a breath of fresh air into the music scene.

For more information about the background to the award ceremony and the impact of the renaming, please read the detailed reports on World and NDR.