“AfD will be at nine percent in 2029”
The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra was disinvited from a music festival in the Belgian city of Ghent because conductor Lahav Shani is Israeli. Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer calls this a "scandalous incident."
Despite the AfD's electoral successes, Minister of State for Culture Weimer contradicts the impression of a "blue wave of success." He declares the firewall an "ethical category" and says the AfD has no "foundation of values." And he explains how he intends to combat anti-Semitism in the cultural scene.
Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer (independent) wants to cut public funding for cultural workers if the funds are used in connection with anti-Semitic statements. The plan is to "issue funding guidelines that make it clear that we cannot finance anti-Semitism with state money," he said in the podcast "Berlin Playbook" of the news magazine "Politico."
He described the increasing anti-Semitism in the cultural scene as "unbearable" and "crass." "In recent months, we've seen a growing, aggressive mood against Jews in general, which is causing Jews in Europe to feel fear," he explained. Jews are less likely to be booked for cultural events and are often subjected to hostility on stage. "It's every exhibition, every venue in Germany, every concert," Weimer said.
Berlin's now-resigned Senator for Culture, Joe Chialo (CDU), also sought to implement an anti-Semitism clause in funding at the state level. However, following massive criticism from the cultural community and legal concerns, he withdrew the provision .
Weimer announced that he would present a new memorial concept in the fall. "For us, the singularity of the Holocaust and its significance in the culture of remembrance is beyond doubt," he said. Weimer called it "unfortunate" to equate German colonialism with the Shoah and thus relativize it. Nevertheless, it was important to address colonialism more intensively.
With his history policy, Weimer also wants to prevent right-wing extremist groups and parties like the AfD from taking over places like Hambach Castle or the Hermann Monument. "Hambacher Castle is a proud site of our early democratic movement. We as a republic must reclaim it." Right-wing extremists should not be allowed to claim national symbols such as the anthem or the national flag for themselves.
He also accused the AfD of being driven solely by resentment: "The firewall is an ethical category. We, the political center, have a foundation of values that we can fall back on. The AfD doesn't have that." Weimer doesn't see a "blue wave of success."
Instead, he predicts that the AfD's election results will collapse by the next federal election: "My prediction is that the AfD will be at nine percent in 2029."
Gordon Repinski is Executive Editor of Politico Germany.
You can find the “Playbook” from “Politico” Germany here .
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