Herbert Grönemeyer: Until how many decibels is anti-fascism allowed?

There is a mineral water producer who writes "loud" or "quietly" on the lids of his bottles - depending on whether the water is carbonated or non-carbonated. Everyone understands the distinction, but realistically, one has to say that "loud" as a term for sparkling water is a bit over the top. It is louder than still water, but not really loud. However, if you spend a long time dealing with still water, then a sparkling water can happen at some point.

And if one has seen a lot of Hitler's documentaries and is no longer used to the fact that anti-fascists sometimes get loud, then you can of course also be surprised in the Cause Grönemeyer. Yikes, yelling against the right, is that possible? Sorry, but is it so far now that only Nazis are allowed to speak out? Until how many decibels is anti-fascism allowed according to the house rules?

There is a lot to be afraid of nowadays

It's not that complicated. Herbert Grönemeyer spoke at a concert against racism, not for the first time and not particularly in detail. That should not be controversial at all.

The debate arises because we live in a time when people feel attacked by such a simple statement. At a time when right-wing extremists are still trying to insult their opponents as the real enemies of democracy. At a time when people sometimes think very carefully about whether and how they engage with Nazis because they fear the consequences, and not without reason.

The dramaturge and author Bernd Stegemann tweeted to the video excerpt from Grönemeyer's concert: "The tone with which Grönemeyer politically heats his audience makes me a little scared - I hate to say it, but it sounds like a speaker before 1945." Interesting. "Do you want the total war" and "this society is open, humanistic" - who could tell the difference?

You might think that if someone is against Nazis, then there are a lot of things to be scared of today. Murder threats, death lists, racist attacks, I think a lot - but a singer who makes a short political statement against racism between two songs, really does not belong to it.

Stegemann explained his discomfort in a longer text for the "Cicero" and criticized Grönemeyer's volume ("while this roar is for the supposed goodness of the right rhetorical remedy at all") and the fact that Grönemeyer said, "when politicians weaken ( ...), then it is up to us to dictate what a society should look like "- a" remarkably totalitarian sentence "for Stegemann.

Grönemeyer never sounded different

Unpleasant to see who put everything in the Grönemeyer criticism from the right.

• Because there was not only Erika Steinbach, who tweeted: "From this wood dictators are carved and the Foreign Minister is in no way inferior to this anti-democracy giant."
• It was not just Beatrix von Storch who said Heiko Maas, who supported Grönemeyer, was a case for the protection of the constitution. (Funny, because then the Constitution is a case for the protection of the Constitution.)
• There was also "Zeit" editor Jochen Bittner, who responded to Heiko Maas' encouragement and gratitude to Grönemeyer: "'If [democratically elected] politicians weaken, it's up to us to dictate what a society should look like' is an idea of free company you sign, Heiko Maas? " - as if he was there on a very big deal.
• And "World" boss Ulf Poschardt, who wrote: "Especially funny of someone who has fled from our tax rates in London." Especially strange, since Grönemeyer has repeatedly stated that he is registered in Germany and pay taxes here - and on the other times has demanded to tax rich rich.

The main thing about Grönemeyer's statement seems to be that he's put it a cappella, so to speak. I'm not an expert, but he never sounded different? Bit bass and piano underneath, and it would have been a normal song. Funny is that Grönemeyer also said: "We must drive these people out as quickly as possible and very quiet the fun of it: not a millimeter to the right." The "completely quiet" has somehow perished in the debate.

A kind of category shock

Of course he is right. We need antifascism in its calm and explanatory version, but we also need it in the loud, enthusiastic version. We all need volume levels, and much more far-reaching artists who openly oppose the right - that's not enough, of course. It's a very simple form of political commitment to cheering a singer, but it's not a bad thing, because it does not have to stay that way.

On "Online Time" Johannes Schneider (under the really brilliant title "Give me my hate back") explains that Germans are having a hard time recognizing fascism in content, they prefer to stick to the form: "In the common crescendo of Fascism recognizes it by the tone of voice: Guido Knopp (...) has been effective all these decades, and whoever roars reveals himself. " That's right. That's why people are so amazed when they hear that the neighbor, who always greets in the morning and mows his lawn on Saturdays, is supposed to be a Nazi. A kind of category shock.

One is that people have to learn that Nazis can also be quiet and polite. And the other is that this country would do well to cultivate as many forms of anti-fascism as possible. I think we have to be clear that if politicians, dramaturges and journalists falter, it's up to us to fight softly and loudly or whatever we think is right.

"Do not think that you can make us nervous": Herbert Grönemeyer made with statements at a concert in Vienna a stir - a year ago he said in the SPIEGEL conversation the right to fight.