The WerteInitiative – jüdisch-deutsche Positionen e.V. – The world’s most important exhibition of contemporary art, „documenta 15“ in Kassel, is rightly being criticised because of prominent actors who have become publicly known as BDS supporters. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign advocates a total boycott of Israel. The BDS supporters sit on the exhibition’s board of trustees or appear at documenta 15 as artists. In 2019 the Bundestag declared the BDS campaign antisemitic across party lines and by a very large majority. The Jewish communities of Germany, the antisemitism commissioners of the federal government and the Länder, experts as well as almost all civil society organisations dealing with the subject, such as the WerteInitiative, agree with this.
Despite protests by various Jewish organisations and representatives of Jewish life, these dubious individuals remain in their positions.
The documenta let it be known that it „in no way supports antisemitism“. Since research has, however, suggested the opposite, the documenta would have been well advised to act demonstratively and to withdraw decision-making powers from antisemites – as would hopefully likewise have been the case with right-wing extremist activism. Instead, smokescreens were initially set off and there was waffle about the documenta’s task of „opening up spaces for art in which independent and opposing discourses may take place“. The discussion should rather revolve around the abuse of artistic freedom.
Elio Adler, chairman of the WerteInitiative: „The shareholders – the city of Kassel and the state of Hesse – are and remain responsible for the staffing of the bodies and ultimately also for the content of the exhibition. In addition, the Minister of State for Culture and the Media has a duty, as the funder, to ensure an exhibition in which no legitimacy is conferred on those who pave the way for antisemitic positions.“
