Known as 'MrWissen2Go,' he has brought fact-based knowledge sharing in politics and history into the modern age: Mirko Drotschmann. For this achievement, the journalist, presenter, author, and online video producer will now receive the 2026 Mainz Media Award. A jury unanimously selected the 39-year-old host as the 10th laureate. Since this year, the Mainz Media Award has been presented by the Mainz Press Club and is under the patronage of the city of Mainz.
YouTuber 'MrWissen2Go' wins 10th Mainz Media Award for digital education
The Mainz Media Award was established in 2016 to honor outstanding "sustainable media impact" in and for the media hub of Mainz—work that extends far beyond the city's borders and enjoys nationwide visibility. The first recipient was Mainz-based cabaret artist Herbert Bonewitz, followed by figures such as football manager Jürgen Klopp, the Mainz Hofsänger ensemble, and Annette Ludwig, former director of the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz. In 2025, literary scholar Stephan Füssel was honored.
The winners are chosen by a 15-member jury representing academia, the church, civil society, culture, media, and politics. Since 2026, the award has been organized by the Mainz Press Club, an association of journalists and media professionals from communications and marketing in Mainz. In keeping with its new organizer, the Mainz Media Award now turns its focus to modern knowledge sharing—honoring, for the first time, a media creator who revolutionized education in the digital space.
'MrWissen2Go': Modern, Digital Knowledge Sharing
This year, the 2026 Mainz Media Award goes to journalist and author Mirko Drotschmann, better known as 'MrWissen2Go.' Under this brand, Drotschmann delivers weekly fact-based yet engaging coverage of political and historical topics across two YouTube channels. "Mirko Drotschmann aligns his content with current events while also drawing on school curricula and exam topics," the jury praised, noting his ability to reach a vast, predominantly young audience.
With over three million followers, his main channel, MrWissen2go, had around 2.4 million subscribers as of March, while MrWissen2go Geschichte (History) boasted another 1.5 million. MrWissen2go is part of funk, the youth-oriented digital content network run by ARD and ZDF, based in Mainz. Since 2023, MrWissen2go Geschichte has been produced under ZDF's Terra X editorial team.
Born and raised in Ettlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Drotschmann studied history, history of technology, and cultural studies at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. He began his media career in 2005 with an internship at Südwestrundfunk (SWR), followed by a traineeship from 2013 to 2014. Since then, he has worked as a freelance journalist for SWR and ZDF, including for the children's news program logo!. In 2020, he joined the presenting team of Terra X.
The 10th Mainz Media Award to Be Presented in November
Above all, as 'MrWissen2Go,' Drotschmann has transformed political and historical education into a modern, contemporary format that resonates especially with younger audiences and students. His work has already earned him numerous accolades, including the Federal Cross of Merit. In 2025, he was nominated for the Otto Diesel Medal for Innovation in the "Best Media Communication" category, as well as the Grimme Online Award.
"The selection committee was convinced by this sustained media achievement," the jury stated. While the award carries no monetary prize, each laureate is immortalized in an innovative print portrait by an artist, displayed at the Mainz State Museum. The 10th Mainz Media Award will be formally presented in a ceremonial event in Mainz this November.
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