ɪn ɐ lˈɛɾɚ tə dˈuːsɪldˌoːɹfs mˈeɪɚ dʒˈoʊəkˌɪm ˈɜːwɪn dˈeɪɾᵻd tˈuː dʒˈuːn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd sˈɪks, mˈɪstɚ hˈændk ɹᵻfjˈuːzd ðɪ ɐwˈɔːɹd, æz hiː dɪdnˌɑːt wˈɔnt hɪmsˈɛlf ænd hɪz wˈɜːk tə bˈiː "ɛkspˈoʊzd ɐɡˈɛn ænd ɐɡˈɛn tə ðə skˈɔːɹn ʌv pˈɑːɹɾi pˌɑːlɪtˈɪʃənz".
In a letter to Düsseldorf's Mayor Joachim Erwin dated 2 June 2006, Mr Handke refused the award, as he did not want himself and his work to be "exposed again and again to the scorn of party politicians".