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Dismantling of controversial artwork »People's Justice« on June 21st
Photo: Uwe Zucchi / dpa
The anti-Semitism scandal at the documenta in Kassel is now also occupying the Bundestag.
First of all, it is a topic on Wednesday in the culture committee of the parliament: Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Greens), the managing director of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Daniel Botmann, the Hessian Minister of Art Angela Dorn (Greens) and documenta Director General Sabine Schormann will report on the events.
On Thursday, the Bundestag will debate the issue at the request of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.
According to the application, the Union wants to set up an independent commission of inquiry "that will identify bad planning, bad processes and wrong decisions and identify personal responsibilities".
It was "completely incomprehensible that no personal consequences have been drawn so far," said cultural policy spokeswoman Christiane Schenderlein on the application.
»The intransigence of those responsible on site makes it difficult to deal with it honestly and relentlessly.«
Union: postpone planning for documenta 2027
According to the application, the anti-Semitism commissioner should submit a report in which the scope and consequences of the scandal would be assessed.
Planning for the next documenta in five years should be postponed until the scandal has been worked up and appropriate measures have been taken.
The motion also envisages »making personnel consequences at the documenta a condition for the continued funding of the documenta with federal funds«.
Roth has already called for changes in the structure of the documenta.
Basically, Berlin wants more influence, otherwise there should be no more money.
The withdrawal of the federal government from the supervisory board in 2018 while sticking to federal funding is now rated as a "serious mistake".
The chairman of the documenta supervisory board, Kassel's mayor Christian Geselle (SPD), rejects the federal government's plans.
Dorn, representing Hessen's vice-president, supports Roth's position to a large extent.
At the most important exhibition for contemporary art after the Venice Biennale, a work with anti-Semitic imagery was discovered after the opening in mid-June.
The »People's Justice« banner by the Indonesian art collective Taring Padi was then taken down.
Even before the opening, there had been allegations of anti-Semitism against the curating collective Ruangrupa, which also comes from Indonesia.
mgo/dpa
