Despite allegations of anti-Semitism, British rock musician Roger Waters is now allowed to perform in Frankfurt am Main. This was decided by the administrative court in Frankfurt on Monday. According to the decision, the city and state of Hesse, as shareholders of the Frankfurt Trade Fair, must “give the musician the opportunity to perform his planned concert on May 28th in the Frankfurt Festhalle”.
The court found that Waters “obviously uses symbolism based on National Socialist rule” in his stage show. What is decisive, however, is that his appearance in the “Gesamtschau” does not allow the conclusion that the musician glorifies or relativizes National Socialist atrocities or identifies with the National Socialist racial ideology.
There are no indications that the stage show or Waters himself committed criminal acts such as the use of propaganda material and signs of unconstitutional organizations or hate speech.
Violation of the fundamental right to freedom of art
Waters’ urgent application (79) was thus “largely granted”. The state of Hesse and the city of Frankfurt am Main would have to give Waters access to the Festhalle on May 28 “by exerting appropriate influence on the managing directors of Messe GmbH.
Otherwise, Waters would be violated in his basic right to artistic freedom (Article 5 of the Basic Law), according to the administrative court. An appeal against the decision can still be lodged with the Hessian Administrative Court in Kassel.
On February 24, the city of Frankfurt and the state of Hesse instructed the managing directors of Messe GmbH to terminate the contract for Waters’ concert “immediately for good cause”. The co-founder of the band “Pink Floyd” is now considered one of the “widest-reaching anti-Semites in the world,” the statement said.
The administrative court conceded that “particularly against the historical background of the festival hall” Water’s stage show “may be rated as particularly tasteless”.
In front of and inside the building, commemorative plaques commemorate the fate of more than 3,000 Jews who were held there during the November pogroms of 1938, mistreated and later deported.
Event should be “regarded as a work of art”
However, the concert event is “to be regarded as a work of art” and artistic freedom is granted without restrictions according to the Basic Law. According to the administrative court, the Waters concert “does not violate the human dignity of the Jewish men who were abused in the Festhalle”. A “serious impairment of the validity and respect of the Jews living in Germany” cannot be established beyond doubt.
Waters’ management said in London that the city of Frankfurt and the state of Hesse had “unsubstantiatedly accused the musician of being an anti-Semite”. He is now looking forward to his appearance in the city.
Waters co-founded Pink Floyd but later left the band. Most recently, former bandmates had also distanced themselves from Waters. (KNA)
