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How
does Leipzig’s history of political activity effect contemporary
efforts?
In 2000 there was a big demonstration in Leipzig against video surveillance
of public space. There had always been protests in this city against repressions.
So we knew that there was a political background that might show interest
in our intervention.
If you are thinking of the demonstrations
of 1989 and the peace movement during the Iraq war, we have to disappoint
you. Politically our work is (hopefully) far away from this “movement”
with its redundant, if not conservative, practices. Slogans like “Wir
sind das Volk” (“we are the people”) are at the heart
of the problem of left wing politics in Germany and nothing to be in favor
of. Instead of nationalist identification we are looking for ways of free
association.
How would
you describe the contemporary social/political/economic situation in eastern
Germany?
Certainly the high unemployment rate in the eastern parts of Germany is
not very nice. But we don’t feel the slightest compassion for people,
who reply to their situation with racism and anti-Semitism.
Do you
think many people are responding with racism and anti-Semitism? More than
the neo-Nazi prototype (or stereotype)?
Definitely.
It is Germany. Foreigners are blamed for the unemployment rate, since
they are taking away jobs, and Jews are regarded as conspirators controlling
public opinion and certainly the evil world power, the USA. By the way,
this last belief is also shared by many Germans who call themselves left-wing.
[article
on racism and anti-Semitism:
the latest issue of the Leipzig- based magazine "phase
2", in German]
And
the situation in Germany as a whole?
There’s been a lot of talk about the [economic] crisis, which makes
people agree with every kind of social cut – an achievement of this
government of Social Democrats and the Green Party. Germany wants to become
a new world power. Germany wants to become the world power with a human
face. The German public is affirming this development, on the one hand
revitalizing anti-American ressentiments, on the other hand really believing
that German imperialism is not as bad as US imperialism. More and more
Germans believe that they, as descendents of the biggest murder-collective
of world history, now have the mission to make the world better. This
is a scary situation.
How
do you think the German government is taking steps towards world power
status? Through their influence in the EU or through other means?
We are not political
analysts but it is obvious if you for example listen to Peter Struck,
Minster of Defense, who says that Germany has to be defended in Afghanistan.
Or to Chancellor Schroeder: the pastime of war has ended. Or if you try
to reason why in hell this government was participating in the war against
Yugoslavia that broke international law but against the war against Iraq
complaining it broke international law. These are some hints that important
ideological motifs has changed.
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But can’t
Germany’s commitment to “making the world better” reflect
of a sense of responsibility, or possibility for improvement? Is it the
concept of making (that is, manipulating or forcing) betterment that makes
you uneasy?
People who would like to make the world better because they are feeling
guilt because they would like to get rid of their guilt do not want to
make the world a better place but only want to get rid of their guilt.
It is all about how history is read. Being anti-Semitic (and this is really
increasing in Germany) and saying that you do not want to repeat history
is nearly ridiculous. In the last ten to fifteen years the attitude towards
the homicidal past has changed in Germany. After many years of little
talk about it, now everything in Germany is done "because of Auschwitz".
Former Minister of Defense Rudolf Scharping told the weirdest stories
about the cruelties of the Yugoslavian army - all lies - simply to feel
reminded of Auschwitz and as a means of justifying the war.
What
is the political stance of LIGNA, with what party do you, or do you not,
consider yourself allied with?
No party at all. We regard Free Radio as a part of the radical left, that
started to rethink left politics especially after the defeat 1989 meant.
What
are you most interested in changing?
By bringing back excluded gestures into the main station, we did not simply
want to argue for a more “colorful” main station, in which
“everyone should have his place”, the poor as well as those
who can afford to stay there. The idea of the radioballett is that the
exclusions dominating a place like that make social inequality invisible.
One has to make them visible again, to protest against them. This is a
protest not only against the specific regime of that very place, but against
the system that brings them about: capitalism. What the radio ballett
wants is to make the unfriendly side of capitalism visible again –
a necessary step, in order to overcome it.
What
do you think personally attracts you to the medium of radio?
It is a ghostly medium. It is scary. It is fun. It is about language.
What
attracts you to political activism? How long have you been actively protesting?
What made you interesting? What makes it seem necessary for you, personally?
How does it fulfill you?
This is not one question. LIGNA as a group of three people could not answer
theses questions with one voice. Perhaps we are not attracted by political
activism. Perhaps we are attracted by the fun activism means. Perhaps
we see it as a first possibility.
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