Scandal surrounding Mayor Mevius: Accusations of anti-Semitism shake Klütz

Scandal surrounding Mayor Mevius: Accusations of anti-Semitism shake Klütz

In the small town of Klütz, in the northwest Mecklenburg district, the waves of anti-Semitism have risen. On Monday evening, Mayor Jürgen Mevius was bid farewell by city representatives in an emotional meeting. The background is the controversial cancellation of a reading by the Jewish journalist Michel Friedman, which was originally planned for 2026. Mevius justified this step with financial aspects, but the reactions were not long in coming. Oliver Hintz, the head of the “Uwe Johnson” literary house, openly accused the city of anti-Semitism, which triggered a nationwide shitstorm and heated up tempers. Despite the support that Mevius received from many Klütz citizens, he stuck to his decision and announced his resignation because he was of the opinion that “new minds” were needed for a new beginning.

The city council also refused to continue working with the previous director of the Literaturhaus. This raises questions about what will happen to the cultural landscape in Klütz. Although the entire Hannah Arendt Week in November 2025 could not take place as planned due to the cancellations of several artists, a reading with Grit Poppe in Grenzhus Schlagsdorf on November 12th will still take place. The Literaturhaus support association plans to secure the Literaturhaus as a cultural center and to welcome different perspectives in order not to let the discussion about the current situation go to sleep.

Uninvitation from Michel Friedman

Michel Friedman, who was hired for his planned appearance on the occasion of Hannah Arendt's 120th birthday in October 2026, described the decision as an "attack on freedom of art, culture and freedom of expression." The community's justification that they were afraid of disruption from right-wing extremists was criticized as pretextual by Felix Klein, the federal government's anti-Semitism commissioner. He describes the disinvitation as a disgrace for Klütz and said that it is important to come to a different decision as quickly as possible so as not to give the impression that hatred of Jews and anti-Semitism are covered by freedom of expression.

Friedman's disinvitation not only speaks for itself, but also highlights worrying developments in Germany as a whole. Since the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, over 2,249 anti-Semitic crimes have been registered. Anti-Semitism Commissioner Klein makes it clear that many Jews no longer appear in public out of fear, which also affects the social debate and spaces for hatred of Jews. He calls for such tendencies to be countered decisively and to draw attention to the problems.

A look forward

New mayoral elections in Klütz are scheduled for February 1, 2026. In the meantime, Guntram Jung, Mevius' deputy, takes over the official business and faces the challenge of regaining the trust of the citizens. The turbulent last few weeks have made it clear that a clear stance against anti-Semitism is needed in order to present Klütz as an open and tolerant place.

It is to be hoped that the city will emerge from this difficult phase stronger and give space to different perspectives. The “Uwe Johnson” literary house could become one of the important flagships if it succeeds in making the cultural diversity in Klütz accessible and taking a stand against intolerance and hatred.

Further information on the background to the discussion can be found here: Northern Courier, ZDF, daily news.