[spectre] Fwd: Statement by German cultural institutions on the parliamentary BDS resolution by the Bundestag

[Andreas Broeckmann]

Betreff: 	Statement by German cultural institutions on the parliamentary 
BDS resolution by the Bundestag
Datum: 	Sat, 12 Dec 2020 18:01:40 +0000
Von: 	e-flux <info at mailer.e-flux.com>
		
December 12, 2020

Statement by German cultural institutions on the parliamentary BDS 
resolution by the Bundestag

As representatives of public cultural and research institutions in 
Germany, we share a mandate from the state to promote arts and culture, 
historical research and democratic education and to make these 
accessible to the general public. Toward this end, we rely on a public 
sphere that welcomes controversial debates in accordance with the norms 
of the German constitution. We are further committed to paying 
particular attention to marginalized and disregarded voices that stand 
for cultural diversity and critical perspectives. At the center of our 
initiative lays a common struggle against anti-Semitism, racism, 
right-wing extremism and any form of violent religious fundamentalism.

Today, a specific challenge lays in the responsibility to convey the 
particularities of the German past—which is characterized by the 
singular genocide of European Jews, on the one hand, and, by a late and 
relatively hesitant confrontation with Germany’s colonial history, on 
the other—to our cooperation partners around the world, so that we can 
work together toward a common present and future. This also entails an 
active commitment to heeding a diversity of Jewish positions and 
openness toward non-European perspectives.

It is unproductive, even detrimental to the democratic public sphere to 
exclude vital voices from critical dialogue, as occurred in the debate 
surrounding Achille Mbembe earlier this year. Germany‘s historical 
responsibility should not lead to a general delegitimization of other 
historical experiences of violence and oppression, neither morally nor 
politically. Their contestation and examination must be tenable 
especially in the publicly funded cultural and discursive realms. 
Against this background, the application of the parliamentary BDS 
resolution by the Bundestag is cause for great concern. We reject the 
BDS boycott of Israel since we consider cultural and scientific exchange 
to be essential. At the same time, we consider the logic of 
counter-boycott, triggered by the parliamentary anti-BDS resolution, to 
be dangerous. By invoking this resolution, accusations of anti-Semitism 
are being misused to push aside important voices and to distort critical 
positions.

For this reason, we have established the “Initiative GG 5.3 
Weltoffenheit” (world openness) to consolidate our expertise and efforts 
in order to defend a climate of diverse voices, critical reflection and 
an appreciation of difference. The name is a reference to Article 5, 
Paragraph 3 of Germany’s Basic Law, which guarantees freedom of the arts 
and sciences. Weltoffenheit (world openness), as we understand it, 
requires a political aesthetic of difference that understands alterity 
as a democratic asset, and art and education as spaces, which should 
tolerate ambivalence and permit divergent views. This includes 
guaranteeing open space for a diversity of voices and critically 
confronting one’s own privileged position as an implicit norm.

We stand in defense of a world-open society that will struggle for the 
equality of all people through the rule of law and public discourse, 
allowing for dissent and multi layered solidarities. It is this 
foundation, which permits the arts and sciences to con tinue to exercise 
their original purpose: to critically reflect on our reigning social 
orders while remaining open to alternative visions for our shared world.

– Berliner Festspiele, Thomas Oberender (Intendant)
– Berliner Künstlerprogramm des DAAD, Silvia Fehrmann (Leiterin)
Bündnis Internationaler Produktionshäuser:
– FFT Düsseldorf (Forum Freies Theater), Kathrin Tiedemann 
(Künstlerische Leiterin und Geschäftsführerin)
– HAU Hebbel am Ufer / Berlin, Annemie Vanackere (Intendantin)
– HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste / Dresden, Carena Schlewitt 
(Intendantin)
– Kampnagel / Hamburg, Amelie Deuflhard (Intendantin)
– Künstlerhaus Mousonturm / Frankfurt am Main, Matthias Pees (Intendant)
– PACT Zollverein / Essen, Stefan Hilterhaus (Intendant)
– tanzhaus nrw / Düsseldorf, Bettina Masuch (Intendantin)
– Deutsches Theater Berlin, Ulrich Khuon (Intendant)
– Einstein Forum Potsdam, Susan Neiman (Direktorin)
– Goethe-Institut, Johannes Ebert (Generalsekretär)
– Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Bernd Scherer (Intendant)
– Jüdisches Museum Hohenems, Hanno Loewy (Direktor)
– Kulturstiftung des Bundes, Hortensia Völckers (Künstlerische Direktorin)
– Moses Mendelssohn Zentrum für Europäisch-Jüdische Studien, Miriam 
Rürup (Direktorin)
– Museum am Rothenbaum – Kulturen und Künste der Welt (MARKK), Barbara 
Plankensteiner (Direktorin)
– Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss, Hartmut Dorgerloh 
(Generalintendant)
– Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger (Rektorin)
– Zentrum für Antisemitismusforschung, TU Berlin, Stefanie 
Schüler-Springorum (Leiterin)
Weitere Unterzeichner*innen des Plädoyers:
– Deutscher Bühnenverein, Carsten Brosda (Präsident)
– DOK Leipzig, Christoph Terhechte (Künstlerischer Leiter und 
Geschäftsführer)
– Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, Wilfried Schulz (Generalintendant u. 
Festivalintendant Theater der Welt 2021)
– Forum Transregionale Studien, Andreas Eckert (Vorstandsvorsitzender)
– Münchner Kammerspiele, Barbara Mundel (Intendantin)
– Nationaltheater Mannheim, Christian Holtzhauer (Schauspielintendant)
– Schauspiel Köln, Stefan Bachmann (Intendant)
– Staatsschauspiel Dresden, Joachim Klement (Intendant)
– Theater Krefeld-Mönchengladbach, Michael Grosse (Generalintendant)
– Thalia Theater, Joachim Lux (Intendant Thalia Theater u. Präsident des 
Deutschen Zentrums des Internationalen Theaterinstituts (ITI))
– Völkerkunde Museen in Leipzig, Dresden und Herrnhut, Léontine 
Meijer-van Mensch (Leiterin)
– Württembergischer Kunstverein, Hans D. Christ und Iris Dressler 
(Direktoren)
Der Arbeitskreis dankt für fachlichen Rat und Diskussionsbeiträge:
– Aleida Assmann (Professorin em. für Anglistik und Allgemeine 
Literaturwissenschaft)
– Stephan Detjen (Journalist)
– Emily Dische-Becker (Journalistin)
– Anselm Franke (Kurator)
– Andreas Görgen
– Wolf Iro (Kulturmanager und Autor)
– Wolfgang Kaleck
– Thomas Krüger
– Christoph Möllers (Professor für Öffentliches Recht und Rechtsphilosophie)
– Michael Wildt (Professor für Deutsche Geschichte im 20. Jahrhundert 
mit Schwerpunkt im Nationalsozialismus)

Press contact: SteinbrennerMüller Kommunikation, 
weltoffenheit at steinbrennermueller.de