Against anti-Semitism, Berlin's musical institutions are mobilizing

"Never again." In a press release published Thursday, November 8 on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the largest classical music institutions in Berlin joined forces to denounce the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Germany since the recent events between Israel and Palestine. This letter, published on the website of the Berlin Philharmonic, was signed by important cultural institutions in the German capital. Representatives of the Konzerthaus concert hall, the Staatsoper unter den Linden, the Deutsche Oper and the Berlin Comic Opera expressed their “condolences” and sent their “thoughts” to the victims “on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides.”

“As the capital of Germany and home to renowned operas and orchestras, Berlin is a global symbol of openness, freedom and tolerance,” the text states. “It is completely unacceptable that Jews in our city are being threatened and that the extermination of Israel is being propagated during protests. “Never again” – it is now a matter of remembering it with all the necessary urgency.”

On November 27, a solidarity concert will be given at the Berliner Ensemble theater, at the initiative of German-Russian pianist Igor Levit, “Against silence. Against anti-Semitism. To send through music and literature a clear signal against anti-Semitism and hatred.”