Bayreuth reveals anti -Semitism: streets with problematic names!

Bayreuth reveals anti -Semitism: streets with problematic names!

in Bayreuth is discussed with great attention about the road racing. The city administration would no longer want to leave the names of streets that problematic historical figures in the future. This is how Karl-Muck-Straße, which Dr. Karl Muck (1859-1940) is dedicated to the focus. The general music director, honorary citizen and conductor of the Bayreuth Festival is known for having discriminated against Jewish artists during his time and compiled the festival orchestra according to racist criteria. Muck wanted to perform Wagner-Werke "-free" and led so-called "lists of mind", in which he noted artists in which he had rejected. Unfortunately, the fates of two of these rejected artists ended tragically because they were later murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz. [Bayreuther Tagblatt] (https://www.bayreuther-tagblatt.de/bayreuth-2/bayreuth-will-stumstrasse-strasse name-nicht-laenger-un-lassen

SPD city councilor Christoph Rabenstein has now made an application that should enable additional information on the namesake through additional boards instead of changing the street names directly. The city administration supports this idea because renaming the residents are often complex and complicated. The planned tables should provide critical information about the respective namesake and refer to further information using QR codes. Roads that have a National Socialist, anti-Semitic or military background are noted on the first list of the city administration, including the Chr.-Ritter-V.-Popp-Straße and Tannenbergstrasse.

a sad heir

The need for measures against anti -Semitism emphasizes Rabenstein. Especially in a city that is so closely associated with Richard Wagner and his festival, the past should not be kept secret. Historian Hannes Heer plans an exhibition on the fate of Jewish artists during the Nazi era, the "felled voices-the Bayreuth Festival and the 'Jews' 1876 to 1945". This will take place in the new town hall and, among other things, addresses the experiences of artists such as Fritz Busch and Hermann Levi, both of whom suffered from the discrimination against the Nazi era. [Süddeutsche Zeitung] (https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/antisemitism-in-bayreuth-als-ders-gruene-huegel-braun-war-war-war-war-war-war-war-war.

The exhibition not only shows the fates of the Jewish artists, but also addresses Wagner's own anti -Semitism. Every year, over 60,000 Wagner fans make a pilgrimage to the Bayreuth Festival, without often being aware of the problematic history that the place has. DW explains that Wagner's connections to Hitler and his anti-Semitic views are part of the inheritance that is connected to the festival.

the look ahead

Johanna Schmidtmann of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen sees the need for a comprehensive discussion about possible renaming and loud criticism by Rabenstein of the processing duration of his application, which has been on the table for four years. While the mayor Thomas Ebersberger referred to the budget consultations in which no funds were made available for the application, it became clear: there is both the will and the need to critically reflect on the past and to appreciate the city -historical street racing appropriately.

The city council will vote on the idea next Wednesday, whereby 5,000 euros have already been planned for the costs of the additional boards in the next budget. It remains to be seen whether this step can initiate the urgently needed discussions about anti -Semitism and the dark history of the Bayreuth Festival.