International artists call for a boycott of the German cultural sector over the Israel-Palestine issue

International artists are calling for a petition called 'Strike Germany' to boycott German cultural institutions due to a lack of “freedom of expression, especially regarding expressions of solidarity for Palestine.” Artists from mainly the US, UK and Germany signed the petition; the American philosopher Judith Butler and the French author and Nobel Prize winner Annie Ernaux are among the best-known names among the letter.

The boycott is now punching holes in the German cultural programme. The Serbian-Bosnian writer Lana Bastašic canceled her contract with publisher S. Fischer out of dissatisfaction with a position taken by the publisher on the war in Gaza. Several DJs withdrew their participation in a festival at the end of this month in Berlin; a DJ label from Lyon that was supposed to play in the Berlin club Berghain this Thursday canceled “due to the events in Germany”.

Another DJ wrote on Instagram that Berghain canceled his performance because of his pro-Palestinian statements. The DJ, Arabian Panther, says he has been “cancelled”; the club insists that the party he was due to perform at was canceled due to work in the building. In now deleted posts, the DJ called several news reports about the Hamas raid on Israeli civilians on October 7 “fake”.

Berghain has not yet commented on the allegations and could not be reached for comment. But if the club has not canceled the DJ of its own accord, the club may be forced to end collaborations with artists with Instagram feeds such as that of 'Arabian Panther' in the future. At the beginning of January, the Berlin culture senator announced Joe Chialo (CDU) indicates that “immediately” all subsidy applications will be provided with an “anti-discrimination clause”. From now on, grant applicants must declare that they will not use the money for “racist, anti-Semitic or queer-hostile” art expressions. In particular, the clause requires each applicant to oppose “any form of anti-Semitism” according to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism.

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Dialogue, debate, friction

Because only the definition of anti-Semitism is extensively specified, Chialo's 'anti-discrimination clause' is now known as the 'anti-Semitism clause'. In an interview this week with the Berliner Zeitung Chialo says that after October 7 and the subsequent silence of the culture scene, he wanted to take action. “The culture sees itself as a place of dialogue, debate, friction. But none of that happened. There was silence. And it was whispered that not everything should be said.”

On Chialo's plan was promptly responded with an open letter, which has now been signed by more than 4,100 people from the Berlin cultural scene. The letter writers protest against the restriction of freedom of expression and artistic freedom. “As artists and creatives, we reject political interference […] with our cultural production,” says the letter, the initiators of which want to remain unknown. The signatories are mainly free artists based in Berlin. Chialo's demand will particularly affect artists of Palestinian descent, the authors say.

The letter writers also object to the 'IHRA definition of anti-Semitism'. According to the letter writers, this is particularly suitable for being used for political purposes, because according to the IHRA, criticism of Israeli politics is quickly considered anti-Semitic. In the interview in the Berliner Zeitung Chialo underlined that criticism of the Netanyahu government is allowed, but denying Israel's right to exist is not.

Every artist in Berlin will have to consider these kinds of questions in the future. Chialo said he does not yet know exactly whether Chialo's employees will then also investigate whether the signature on the 'anti-discrimination clause' was signed out of genuine conviction or out of opportunism, for example by looking up previous political expressions of the subsidy applicant.

Long-running battle

The Chialo clause is a new chapter in a long-running battle between the German cultural scene and the German 'state raison' that Germany is on Israel's side. In 2019, the Bundestag decided that the BDS boycott movement, which calls for a boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel, is anti-Semitic. Subsidies should no longer be available for artists who support BDS. A signature on a BDS petition has now been a reason for various cultural institutions to cancel or not program an artist.

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When Cameroonian political scientist Achille Mbembe was scheduled to give the opening lecture at the Ruhrtriennale in 2020, politicians from several parties objected on the grounds that he was a supporter of BDS and demanded that the invitation be withdrawn. Because the Ruhrtriennale was canceled due to the corona crisis, the organizers ultimately did not have to decide whether Mbembe should be canceled.

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