Let’s talk about fascism, baby.
That was the message sent by German musicians Dinger Dan and Igor Levitt at a charity concert in Berlin on Tuesday night.
The duo, known for their political activism, were scheduled to perform their new “anti-fascist” song “Keine Angst” (No Fear), in Die Anstalta popular German topical comedy show. But the public broadcaster ZDF withdrew them. The channel said that the song could be considered incitement to violence and is not in line with its program guidelines.
So the duo held a concert at Berlin’s Columbia Theater, which they streamed live on YouTube.
Instead of talking about the cancellation of the ZDF and the violent debate it sparked in the German media over freedom of expression, the band focused on sounding the alarm about the rise of the far right in Germany.
He asked, “How should we deal with the fascists who enter parliaments and take to the streets?” Danger Dan asked the Berlin audience. “How do we deal with right-wing violence that is exploding and becoming more brutal?”
“How do we help people [who] They are afraid to leave their homes because the Nazis are patrolling? Levitt added. “How can one ease their fear and show them that they are not alone?”
ZDF Director General Norbert Himmler defended the decision to withdraw the division. Himmler told a German newspaper that their new song is “a guide to violent left-wing resistance.” Suddeutschen Zeitung. The lyrics of “Keine Angst” include lines suggesting activists get rid of “Nazi pigs” by collecting information on right-wing extremists. The song ends with what appears to be a friendly tribute to left-wing activists who have been convicted or are on trial for violent attacks against members of the far right.
But not everyone agrees with the ZDF’s decision. Hosts Die Anstalt They called the network’s decision “cowardly” and used their show to argue that ZDF should have allowed Levit and Danger Dan to perform. Comedians attended Tuesday’s concert and sat in the front row.
In an open letter on Monday, eight members of the ZDF television board criticized Himmler for withdrawing the song.
“ZDF missed an opportunity to spark a discussion about right-wing extremism in Germany and the different ways to combat it,” the letter read. “Canceling Danger Dan and Igor Levitt demonstrates not only a lack of courage, but also a lack of confidence in the show’s editorial team…and we fear this will have a chilling effect.”
This discussion comes against the backdrop of growing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), a xenophobic and anti-immigrant party that currently leads national opinion polls. Many consider the AfD to be a threat to German democracy, and have called for the party to be banned. The party is not currently in power anywhere in the country but that may change this year. The Alternative for Germany party is close to achieving an absolute majority in the Saxony-Anhalt state elections scheduled for next September.
