PEN Vice-President: "You can only educate yourself" | Books | '
Ralf Nestmeyer, what is your opinion about the freedom of expression in Germany: Is it threatened by the rise of right-wing populism?
Absolutely. It is now increasingly common that certain statements of rights are also legally reviewed. One tries to prevent this from the side of the AfD and other groups partially. I also see a tendency in Germany for the freedom of expression to be threatened. Also by hate speech, by hate motivated falsifying claims. This is a problem that does not get smaller but gets bigger.
Our Constitution protects freedom of expression as a constituent of democracy. Protected are even opinions, "which aim at a fundamental change in the political order". When will the defense of freedom of expression become undemocratic?
As far as opinions are based on our constitution, they must of course be tolerated or tolerated, even if it is difficult in many cases.
The Polish writer Joanna Bator said in 2017 "Cruelty always goes hand in hand with fear and hypocrisy." Is fear a hidden drive of right-wing opinion?
Yes, I think that all those who are strongly represented in this right-wing spectrum and who speak out, are always afraid of something: fear of strangers, fear for their jobs, fear for their social status. They feel threatened, though that may be an irrational threat. Unfortunately, this threat manifests itself in protests from the right, which often lead to violence – which must not be tolerated.
What can literature do against right-wing agitation?
The freedom of the word is very important for the PEN. It is also in the PEN Charter that we, as members, always want to work for it. We try to create openness and to allow the widest possible range of discussion so that one can form an opinion.
And what can writers do in concrete terms?
Of course, they can express themselves in many ways, not only in their books and works, but also engage in public debate, give interviews. As part of our conference here in Chemnitz, for example, we had an event at the Theaterplatz, where 25 authors took turns speaking and expressed their position and personal views on freedom of expression. I think such posts are extremely important.
The AfD receives a disproportionate amount of media attention. Do you think that's correct, because you have to deal with the right-wing populists? Or is the media running into a trap, is this driven communication?
Whether it is correct, I can not say – also we are in our conversation now again with the topic AfD. I think that we also have to set other topics, so we do not have to deal with the positions of the AfD again and again. Almost all, if not all, of these positions are intolerable anyway. Since I find it actually obsolete, once again deal constructively with them. It would bring nothing anyway.
Chemnitz – symbolic place for the PEN meeting: In August 2018 riots shook the city (photo)
Keyword "lying press": How can writers and journalists defend themselves against the accusation of producing fake news?
One can only point out again and again that fortunately in Germany we have a really great media landscape, and that many reports in renowned newspapers are very far away from so-called fake news. This is a manslaughter argument that just keeps being attached, à la Donald Trump, for which every criticism is Fake News.
We should continue to strengthen our diverse media landscape, and I have no doubt that reports that appear in reputable media or in public broadcasting, ARD and ZDF, based on thorough research. There can always be a little slip – see the case Relotius at the mirror – but that is then in the per thousand range, that really something drifts into the realm of the invented or the myths. Normally, there is a great deal of research, and one can only thank all the journalists in this country.
Has the emergence of right-wing populism dissolved the consensus of what is considered politically acceptable?
There has certainly been a shift, unfortunately. Many statements that used to cast you off in the past are politically accepted or tolerated. Sometimes it really hurts to hear what kind of statements, what opinion comes from the right edge. That can not be endured with equanimity.
Hate Speech – a serious problem especially in the social media
Is it an "old dregs" that now has its say again, as the writer Christoph Hein put it in a conversation here in Chemnitz?
There are studies on right thought structures and right-wing voters in Germany. So that was always between five and ten percent. Sometimes they found themselves on the right side of the bourgeois parties. Now that a new protest party has emerged with the AfD, they are gathering in this basin. But I fear that always five to ten percent of the population attaches to such ideas.
Unlike the rights of the past, the New Right is very adept at new media. They use social media and state-of-the-art IT technologies to drive opinion at the highest level. How does the PEN react?
The PEN sees no reason for a direct interaction with the New Right. We do not want to enter into a dialogue because their agitation is not worthy of dialogue.
That one does not want to deal with them, is one of the reproaches, which are repeatedly raised by the New Right.
It is lost love trouble to follow these thought structures. One can only provide for enlightenment, accusation of certain states, make attentive, focus on grievances. But opposing the New Right in an argumentative way simply does not help.
It is not just fringe groups or "marginal elements" that drift off to the right, the writer Tanja Kinkel recalled, referring in this connection to Uwe Tellkamp, the successful author of the novel "Der Turm". What is the German PEN's opinion? Are these "deviants"?
Uwe Tellkamp is not a PEN member. But yes, in this debate, it is worrying that there are also some authors who speak out with opinions and assessments, which in my opinion have to be evaluated more than critically, because they can not be substantiated with facts and only with tendentious ones Serve mood.
Oleg Senzow – since 2014 in Russian detention
What is PEN doing to promote freedom of expression abroad?
Very much. Just one example: We have just appointed Oleg Senzow, the well-known filmmaker and author, who was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment for his criticism of the Russian annexation of Crimea, as an honorary member. The translator Andreas Tretner is also a PEN member. A translator collective has come together around him to translate Senzow's book "Life", and waived the fee. That will benefit Senzow's family. Oleg Senzow is imprisoned in the Arctic Circle under the most terrible conditions, still 15 years. So he should be torn from oblivion.
Ralf Nestmeyer is a freelance journalist and author; Since April 2018 he has been Vice President and Writers-in-Prison Officer of the German PEN Center.
ليست هناك تعليقات