Walter Mayr

Walter Mayr (1960), born in Aichach, Germany, joined DER SPIEGEL in 1990. Between 1991 and 1995 Mayr mainly covered the Balkan Wars. From 1999 to 2002 he headed SPIEGEL ‘s Vienna Bureau and from 2003 to 2006 the Moscow Bureau, covering issues in the 15 republics of the former Soviet Union. Since 2013, he is based in Rome, in charge of covering Italy and the Vatican. For reconstructing the events during the Beslan tragedy in 2004, Mayr along with five of his colleagues, received the Henri Nannen Award.

Walter Mayr was selected for the 2016 European Press Prize shortlist with ‘Besondere Verdienste’

Maria Louka

Maria Louka has studied psychology at Panteion University, Athens and works as a journalist. She has worked with VICE Greece and VICE NEWS, Epsilon (Sunday supplement of Eleytherotypia daily), Stokokkino 105.5 Radio, protagon gr,  ΒΗΜΑgazino (Sunday supplement of Vima newspaper) and Inside Story. She was part of the investigative team for the documentary ‘The Tribes of Athens (ΕΡΤ), for the documentary Beyond Gender Greece (ANT1) and for the documentary series Football Legends (Cosmote TV).  She is also member of Depression Era Project . Her pieces have appeared at Bozar Gallery, Museum of Photography Thessaloniki (exhibition “Another Life”), Crete (Med Photo Festival). She was the recipient of the Eleni Vlachou Journalism Award in 2013.

Maria Louka has been nominated 4 times for the European Press Prize –  in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and 2018.