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Debacle in Klütz: Mayor resigns after Friedman's rejection!
Michel Friedman will speak about his book “Mensch!” on May 23, 2026 in Sassnitz. after a controversial appearance in Klütz.
Debacle in Klütz: Mayor resigns after Friedman's rejection!
In a chess game in the cultural scene, the recent debacle surrounding the appearance of the Jewish author Michel Friedman is a decisive move. Mayor Jürgen Mevius von Klütz resigned after Friedman's planned reading at the Uwe Johnson Literature House was canceled not only due to security concerns, but later also for cost reasons. The wave of controversy was quite intense - Mevius spoke of a smear campaign, while Klaus-Michael Erben, the chairman of the Ernst Moritz Arndt Society, described the discussion as “embarrassing” and cited prejudice as the reason for the cancellation. Erben also defended Friedman's fee demands and pointed out the underlying anti-Semitism that could lie in the accusation of greed.
However, the Ernst Moritz Arndt Society is optimistic about the future. On May 23, 2026, Friedman will be a guest in Sassnitz at the Kühlhaus to present his book “Mensch!” that deals with action against indifference and for a lively culture of debate in a democracy. Democracy Day, on which the reading is to take place, commemorates the enactment of the Basic Law in 1949 and underlines the relevance of the topic today.
A look at the social trends
These developments come against the backdrop of a dramatic rise in anti-Semitism in Germany. Studies show that anti-Semitic statements and attacks have quadrupled since the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023. In Berlin in particular, Jewish people and people and institutions perceived as Jewish are fighting a wave of verbal and physical violence.
Interventions in the culture of discourse are not only noticeable in Klütz. Discussions about Israel-related anti-Semitism are also becoming increasingly louder at cultural events and at universities. The danger of these disruptions became clear during a reading at Hamburger Bahnhof when the event was interrupted on February 10, 2024 by the group “Young Struggle Berlin”. A trend that is also being discussed in the Committee for Culture and Media of the German Bundestag, where experts are calling for measures to be taken against anti-Semitism in the cultural sector.
Cultural life remains alive
In these turbulent times, it is important that cultural sites and institutions have a good knack for addressing the sometimes tense discourses and at the same time creating a space for encounters and reflection. Because, as Friedman himself often emphasizes, a lively culture of debate is the heart of a functioning democracy - and this is exactly what the organizers in Sassnitz and Klütz want to achieve.
The question remains what answers society will find to these complex issues. One thing is certain, however: the cultural debate is more lively than ever.