Frankfurt - Italian essayist Claudio Magris, 70, was picked Thursday as winner of one of Europe's most prestigious annual culture prizes, the 25,000-euro
(34,750-dollar) German Book Trade Peace Prize.

Magris, a professor of German, has written a stream of books about 20th century history, has translated many German authors into Italian and writes newspaper columns.

The prize usually goes to novelists or scholars whose writings are deemed to improve understanding between rival nations and ethnic groups. Unusually, it was given last year to an artist, Anselm Kiefer.

Administered by the Boersenverein, the German association of publishers and booksellers, the prize, which was introduced in 1950, is to be handed over in a ceremony on October 18, to be attended by German leaders. (dpa)