Open dispute about Documenta: Kassel's mayor threatens the federal government to go it alone

After the anti-Semitism scandal, an open dispute broke out about future responsibilities at the Documenta.

The chairman of the supervisory board of the art exhibition, Kassel's mayor Christian Geselle (SPD), is openly on a course of confrontation with the federal government.

Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Greens) wants more government influence as a consequence of the events.

She threatens to turn off the money supply otherwise.

"It is not only financially possible for the city of Kassel, but also ideally possible, especially in view of the importance of the Documenta for our city and urban society, to bear the responsibility for this outstanding event without participation from the federal capital," replied her journeyman (SPD) in a letter.

The letter is available to the dpa.

Roth had called for changes in the structure.

At its core, Berlin wants more influence.

The Minister of State sees the withdrawal of the federal government from the supervisory board in 2018 while retaining federal funding as a "serious mistake".

That should change again.

Geselle was "strongly irritated" by Roth's behavior.

Neither the city nor the Documenta Society have been contacted.

This is contrary to “the necessary seriousness and seriousness”.

He pointed out that the Federal Cultural Foundation does not exercise its right to propose two seats on the supervisory board.

In this way it would have been possible to exercise control functions.

"Of course, all the more so after you commented on possible allegations of anti-Semitism and Documenta fifteen at the end of January 2022 after you were appointed Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media," wrote Geselle to Roth.

“An expression of arrogance that can hardly be surpassed”

Geselle emphasized that the documenta does not need “state censorship” “because of its DNA”.

"This would be contrary to our constitution." Should Roth stick to her position "and not be interested in a factually constructive debate", the municipal committees would discuss the funding from the Federal Cultural Foundation.

Geselle is backed by his SPD predecessors Hans Eichel, Wolfram Bremeier and Bertram Hilgen.

In a statement with Geselle, they dismissed Roth's plans as an "attack on the Documenta."

The desire for more influence by the federal government is justified by the fact that the primarily local responsibility is disproportionate to the importance of the Documenta.

“This attitude is an expression of arrogance that can hardly be surpassed and overlooks the fact that the documenta has developed into what it is today in its more than sixty-year history with 'local responsibility' - and that with little or no financial support from the federal government. "

Roth is sticking to structural changes.

It should be in the interest of the city to think together with the state and federal government about how the documenta can be repositioned "so that such a disaster does not repeat itself and the documenta can once again do justice to its importance as one of the world's most important exhibitions for contemporary art “.