The great Hamburg clemency towards the "last generation"

In his verdict last Monday, the judge at the Hamburg district court found clear words: “You must not disregard the law because of your political concerns. You will achieve nothing with this and you may risk a prison sentence," he said in the direction of the accused Jana M., an activist with the group "Last Generation".

On June 2, 2022, the 30-year-old and some of her comrades-in-arms provided the University of Hamburg’s Audimax with slogans, “Uni has responsibility” was read in large red letters, paint was also sprayed in the building, and after the deduction, chaos had to be cleared up . The university put the damage caused at 18,000 euros.

For the activist, the process turned out differently than she had hoped – she had lodged an objection to a penalty order of 1,200 euros, but the judge increased the amount to be paid to 1,500 euros in his verdict, because “the building was completely smeared, you could see really bad,” he said.

What neither Jana M. nor other representatives of the "last generation" have had to pay for is the damage itself. And it is initially unclear whether the university, which is largely financed from taxpayers' money, wants to claim the sum at all. In any case, almost ten months after the fact, nothing has happened in this direction.

At the request of WELT AM SONNTAG, university spokesman Alexander Lemonakis said: "The University of Hamburg has not yet made any civil claims for compensation, but reserves the right to take these steps." They now want to evaluate the criminal proceedings. The university did not say which other reasons were decisive for the lack of invoicing until Friday noon, even when asked.

A form of weighing up and waiting that causes incomprehension in the citizenry. "The university is obliged to assert claims for damages against the perpetrators," said CDU judicial expert Richard Seelmaecker of this newspaper. The university is not only obliged to do this towards all students, but also towards the taxpayers who finance research and teaching with their tax payments.

“Damage to property is a criminal offense and we are all equal before the law. Our laws therefore also apply to people who feel they belong to the 'last generation'," said Seelmaecker. The lawyer added: "I find it strange that people in our society increasingly believe that the end justifies the means. He doesn't do that.” Representation of interests, clear expression of opinion and demonstrations are good. "However, we must not tolerate intolerance, wasting money and criminal acts."

The Hamburger Kunsthalle was also relaxed with a view of the "Last Generation" these days, after two representatives of the group were just prevented from showing the painting "Der Wanderer über den Nebelmeer" by Caspar David Friedrich, which was protected by safety glass, with a to paste over the modified image. It would have shown the wanderer against an apocalyptic rather than foggy backdrop. But a security guard reacted immediately and stood protectively in front of Hamburg's most famous painting.

Alexander Klar, director of the Hamburger Kunsthalle, seemed almost honored that, after numerous attacks on works of art at home and abroad, his museum had finally been hit. At least that's the impression he gave when he recently chatted on NDR about the attack by the "last generation" - so lively and so understanding "for the cause" that one or the other patron and lender might catch their breath.

The attempted encroachment on the painting went so "slightly" "perhaps because of our house's affection for the subject," emphasized Klar. After all, the Kunsthalle is "already doing a great deal for climate protection", the topic is "so present" in the house. The director therefore considered it a "bonus" that the "last generation" had announced their protest in advance and that the staff could prepare accordingly. If you want to be relevant as a museum, you have to live with such actions and with the fact that you become a place of social debate, explained Klar.

The director is not afraid that supporters and lenders will run away from the Kunsthalle out of concern for their paintings: "We take very good care of the works," said Klar. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how the red-green Senate will deal with the director's statements. Because Klar did not comment on the action of the "Last Generation" as a private person, but as the director of the Kunsthalle - a museum that acts as a foundation under public law, whose supervisory authority is in turn the cultural authority.

On request, Senator for Culture Carsten Brosda (SPD) said: "I have now lost all understanding of such actions." The fight against man-made climate change is one of the central tasks of our time. But these continued attacks on the arts harmed the cause they supposedly championed. Referring directly to Director Klar, Brosda pointed out that museums are of course places of social debate: "But they are also places where we preserve valuable cultural heritage and make it accessible. We will make sure they stay that way.”

Only recently, the "Last Generation" announced that they wanted to ensure "maximum disruption of public order" in Hamburg if Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) did not respond to their demands. The Senate rejected the threats. Tschentscher does not consider such an approach to be justifiable, it was said from the town hall, and handed the letter over to the security authorities.

In fact, however, according to the factions of the SPD and the Greens, there were "confidential" talks with the "last generation" in the town hall after a spokeswoman had apologized for the blackmailing choice of words in the letter. On Thursday, the activists then occupied the Köhlbrand Bridge, regardless of the level of conversation allowed, and caused traffic chaos. At least that's what the SPD and the Greens said angrily about.