In order to recognize the work of small publishers, the city of Mainz has been awarding the V.O. Stomps Prize since 1979, named after the legendary founder of Rabenpresse, Eremitenpresse, and Neue Rabenpresse, Victor Otto Stomps (1897–1970). The VauO Stomps Prize honors quality and personal commitment in the small publishing scene. This award is not based on economic success, but rather on outstanding achievements that demonstrate particular talent and ingenuity under the difficult conditions of small-scale publishing.

The Victor Otto Stomps Grand Prize, awarded by the state capital of Mainz every two years, consists of 3,500 euros and a certificate printed using letterpress, and this year goes to the publishing house “Das Kulturelle Gedächtnis.”

The publishing house “Das Kulturelle Gedächtnis” was founded in Berlin in 2016 and is currently run by its partners and curators Beate Swoboda, Peter Graf, and Tobias Roth. Financial success is not the primary focus here; on the contrary: Any potential surplus benefits the publishing house exclusively, to enable and support new projects. These projects focus on rediscovering lost works, such as those by Michael Kosmeli (1773–1844) or Grete Weil (1906–1999), as well as the preservation of traditional works, as evidenced by the new and first-ever translations of Voltaire and Victor Hugo. What is clear is the enduring social relevance of these works for the here and now, as well as the balance in their production: modern distribution meets the finest sensibility for typesetting, paper, and binding.

In addition, since 2009, the Victor Otto Stomps Award, worth €1,500, has been presented. This year, it went to São Paulo-based publishing house Lote 42, run by Cecilia Arbolave and João Varella. Since 2012, they have been working with Lote 42 on more than just publishing books: they organize book fairs for the independent scene, give printing workshops, and publish high-quality, artistic, and playful books, always with the premise that they must be affordable even on a small income. Whether it's a book about printing techniques or profound fiction, versatility is the order of the day at this publishing house.