Calls for the German Minister of Culture to resign after anti-semitic art show

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The numerous anti-Semitism scandals at the exhibition mark a turning point. Harsh consequences must now follow – also for Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth 

Article by Philipp Peyman Engel

Rarely has the Jewish community in Germany been so upset.  No matter with whom this newspaper has spoken in the last few days between Berlin and Bonn or Konstanz and Kiel - with Shoah survivors, artists, officials, journalists or regular community members - the dismay, the horror, even the shock among Jewish Germans is immense.

The world's most important art exhibition, documenta has been causing one anti-Semitism scandal after the next for numerous weeks, each one with a scope that until recently would have been unthinkable.    It is a failure that has no equal.

So how can it be that Jewish artists from Israel were deliberately excluded from the world art exhibition in Kassel?  How can it be that protests by Jewish associations against this decision were completely ignored?  How can it be that the most hideous anti-Semitic "work of art" that has been on public view in Germany since 1945 was exhibited at the documenta?

How can it be that Jews are humiliated in a painting as a pig with a Star of David and a "Mossad" inscription?  How can it be that Jews are portrayed in a “work of art” in a way that is otherwise only known from the inflammatory Nazi newspaper “Stürmer”: with pejes, kippa, oversized monster teeth, bloodthirsty eyes and SS insignia on the hat?  How can it be that another work compares the Israeli armed forces with the Wehrmacht?

In short: How did it come to this that the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions), anti-Semitic in its actions and goals, was able to spread unhindered its hatred of Israel and Jews at the documenta.

It has to be said quite clearly that the decision-makers in cultural and political establishments, which are otherwise so concerned about the correct attitude, are to blame for this.  In specific terms: the fact that the documenta is now making headlines worldwide with anti-Semitism scandals instead of subtle considerations of art is the responsibility of - in addition to documenta boss. Sabine Schormann, Hesse's Minister of Art, Angela Dorn (Greens) and Kassel's Mayor Christian Geselle (SPD) - above all the Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Greens).

As a reminder: the documenta is curated by the Indonesian collective, ruangrupa, some of whose members are open supporters of the BDS or did not want to distance themselves from the boycott movement.  For ruangrupa members and some of the artists engaged for the exhibition, the Statet of Israel represents a colonial system of "white people"; Israel fulfills the characteristics of apartheid, practicing the separation of the individual ethnic population groups like South Africa did at the time, which is why Israel should be proscribed comprehensively.

Claudia Roth opened the door to the anti-Semitic BDS.

But instead of condemning the new ban on Jewish artists in Germany, the much-vaunted "perspective of the global South" was still being celebrated and defended at the highest level until last week.  Claudia Roth promised: “It will be a new, very provocative, form which dissolves art and culture together . “ One can look forward to a productive debate”.  “I'm looking forward to the confrontation.”

Ruangrupa defended her against allegations of anti-Semitism.  "Coming from a certain country should not lead to suspicions of being anti-Semitic," said the Green politician.  Muslim Indonesia is one of the countries that does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.  “I find that bad.  But that doesn't mean that an artist or collective from Indonesia is per se suspicious.”

Roth did not address the fact that Jewish Israelis were systematically cancelled by ruangrupa in the run-up to the documenta.  Among other things, the Central Council of Jews had already criticized the way those responsible dealt with the topic of anti-Semitism in a fierce letter to Roth at the end of April.  "The only thing that helps against anti-Semitism is clear commitments and, even more so, decisive political action," said Central Council President Josef Schuster at the time.  “No one may release themselves of this responsibility - not even in the name of artistic freedom.«

But even after that, the top cultural politician in the Federal Republic, who had distanced herself from the ground-breaking anti-BDS resolution of the Bundestag in 2019, remained inactive.

How naive does Roth think the Jewish public is?

Particularly bitter: After the anti-Jewish depictions became known, Claudia Roth suddenly joined the phalanx of those who were outraged by the hatred of Jews.  The question is allowed: how naive does Roth think the Jewish public are?  First, she allows artists with a proven anti-Semitic worldview to curate the documenta.  Now she wants to be surprised by the anti-Semitic excesses.  It's quite simple: Whoever opens the door to the anti-Semitism of the BDS will be on the receiving end of it.  If in doubt, also in the form of disgusting anti-Jewish smear paintings, compared to which the Wittenberg “Judensau” seems downright reserved.

Commitment to Israel and standing up against any form of anti-Semitism is part of the Federal Republic's DNA.  In this country, tax money should never be spent on pure hatred of Jews.  The documenta gave this self-image a resounding slap in the face.  It was the task of Minister of Culture Roth to prevent this.  She failed miserably.

Either Roth was not in a position to influence the development that had been looming for a long time.  Or she couldn't or didn't want to understand that hatred of Jews represents a fundamental challenge for our democracy. Both disqualify her to the highest degree as Minister of State for Culture.

For whosoever the promise, "Never again anti-Semitism" is not a cheap phrase, and that can be assumed with the Federal Government with certainty, the Ministry of Culture must be entrusted to someone who credibly takes action against Jew-hatred. Someone who performs his or her duties with competence and dignity.  With her kosher seal for the BDS ideology, Claudia Roth has shown neither the one nor the other.