24.6.2016
Nexit
Der dank des Referendums anstehende Austritt des Uneinigen Königreichs aus der Europäischen Union ist ein Schock für jeden redlichen Europäer. Ein Austritt, der Bedauern auslöst und Angst vor populistischen Tendenzen im restlichen Europa weckt. Ja, wir verlieren mit London einerseits einen aufmüpfigen Querulanten, einen marktschreierischen Neo-Liberalen, andererseits verlieren wir eben auch einen guten Freund. Einen Freund, der über Jahrzehnte an unserer Seite war, der dafür gesorgt hat, dass, nach der Wiedervereinigung, die deutsche Führungsrolle in Brüssel, welche Berlin dank der schieren Größe der Wirtschaft in den Schoß gefallen ist, nicht in Großmannssucht enden konnte. Die Briten haben sich, mehr noch als die Franzosen, immer als die Special Ones gesehen. Ob das berechtigt war oder nicht, steht nicht mehr zur Debatte.
Die Mitgliedschaft Großbritanniens ist Geschichte, und wir sollten schnellstens aus dem Ergebnis der Volksbefragung Lehren ziehen. Angela Merkels Idee, auf europäischer Ebene nach dem britischen Referendum erst einmal abzuwarten und bloß nichts zu überstürzen, ist absurd. Europa hat zu lange gewartet und die Augen verschlossen.
Es ist an der Zeit, die europäischen Ideale zu verteidigen. Im Vertrag über eine Verfassung für Europa heißt es: „Die Werte, auf die sich die Union gründet, sind die Achtung der Menschenwürde, Freiheit, Demokratie, Gleichheit, Rechtsstaatlichkeit und die Wahrung der Menschenrechte einschließlich der Rechte der Personen, die Minderheiten angehören. Diese Werte sind allen Mitgliedstaaten in einer Gesellschaft gemeinsam, die sich durch Pluralismus, Nichtdiskriminierung, Toleranz, Gerechtigkeit, Solidarität und die Gleichheit von Frauen und Männern auszeichnet.“
Populistischen und nationalistischen Rattenfängern à la Nigel Farage, Geert Wilders und Marine Le Pen widersteht die EU nur, wenn sie sich grundlegend reformiert. Brüssel muss den Europäern klarmachen, welche Werte es vertritt und welche Werte es uns garantiert. Das Europäische Parlament muss zum richtigen Parlament werden. Die Staats- und Regierungschefs der EU-Mitgliedsstaaten dürfen in Hinterzimmern nicht länger am EU-Parlament vorbei die maßgeblichen Entscheidungen über die Zukunft der Union treffen. Die europäischen Bürger müssen regelmäßig an Entscheidungen beteiligt werden.
Unsere Chance liegt in einem vereinigten und vernünftigen Europa, nicht in einem unvernünftigen und zersplitterten. Die EU hat nur eine Zukunft, wenn sie sich reformiert und solidarisch zueinander steht.
Weiter so geht nicht länger. Der Austritt Großbritanniens ist ein Warnzeichen.
Wir dürfen den Fremdenhassern und Nationalisten nicht kampflos das Feld überlassen. Demokratie verlangt von uns Einmischung und Teilhabe. Lehnen wir uns nicht zurück. Streiten wir für ein freies und demokratisches Europa. Jetzt und auf der Stelle, in den Parlamenten und auf der Straße.
Matt Aufderhorst
Nexit
Der dank des Referendums anstehende Austritt des Uneinigen Königreichs aus der Europäischen Union ist ein Schock für jeden redlichen Europäer. Ein Austritt, der Bedauern auslöst und Angst vor populistischen Tendenzen im restlichen Europa weckt. Ja, wir verlieren mit London einerseits einen aufmüpfigen Querulanten, einen marktschreierischen Neo-Liberalen, andererseits verlieren wir eben auch einen guten Freund. Einen Freund, der über Jahrzehnte an unserer Seite war, der dafür gesorgt hat, dass, nach der Wiedervereinigung, die deutsche Führungsrolle in Brüssel, welche Berlin dank der schieren Größe der Wirtschaft in den Schoß gefallen ist, nicht in Großmannssucht enden konnte. Die Briten haben sich, mehr noch als die Franzosen, immer als die Special Ones gesehen. Ob das berechtigt war oder nicht, steht nicht mehr zur Debatte.
Die Mitgliedschaft Großbritanniens ist Geschichte, und wir sollten schnellstens aus dem Ergebnis der Volksbefragung Lehren ziehen. Angela Merkels Idee, auf europäischer Ebene nach dem britischen Referendum erst einmal abzuwarten und bloß nichts zu überstürzen, ist absurd. Europa hat zu lange gewartet und die Augen verschlossen.
Es ist an der Zeit, die europäischen Ideale zu verteidigen. Im Vertrag über eine Verfassung für Europa heißt es: „Die Werte, auf die sich die Union gründet, sind die Achtung der Menschenwürde, Freiheit, Demokratie, Gleichheit, Rechtsstaatlichkeit und die Wahrung der Menschenrechte einschließlich der Rechte der Personen, die Minderheiten angehören. Diese Werte sind allen Mitgliedstaaten in einer Gesellschaft gemeinsam, die sich durch Pluralismus, Nichtdiskriminierung, Toleranz, Gerechtigkeit, Solidarität und die Gleichheit von Frauen und Männern auszeichnet.“
Populistischen und nationalistischen Rattenfängern à la Nigel Farage, Geert Wilders und Marine Le Pen widersteht die EU nur, wenn sie sich grundlegend reformiert. Brüssel muss den Europäern klarmachen, welche Werte es vertritt und welche Werte es uns garantiert. Das Europäische Parlament muss zum richtigen Parlament werden. Die Staats- und Regierungschefs der EU-Mitgliedsstaaten dürfen in Hinterzimmern nicht länger am EU-Parlament vorbei die maßgeblichen Entscheidungen über die Zukunft der Union treffen. Die europäischen Bürger müssen regelmäßig an Entscheidungen beteiligt werden.
Unsere Chance liegt in einem vereinigten und vernünftigen Europa, nicht in einem unvernünftigen und zersplitterten. Die EU hat nur eine Zukunft, wenn sie sich reformiert und solidarisch zueinander steht.
Weiter so geht nicht länger. Der Austritt Großbritanniens ist ein Warnzeichen.
Wir dürfen den Fremdenhassern und Nationalisten nicht kampflos das Feld überlassen. Demokratie verlangt von uns Einmischung und Teilhabe. Lehnen wir uns nicht zurück. Streiten wir für ein freies und demokratisches Europa. Jetzt und auf der Stelle, in den Parlamenten und auf der Straße.
Matt Aufderhorst
7.6.2016
EU/UK: Let's Stay United Appeal
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,
Last week the international literature festival started an appeal calling on the British people to vote for a stay in the EU. Numerous writers have signed the appeal. Please find the letter here and the signatories below:
Dear British Friends,
The decision on whether or not to leave the European Union is entirely yours. We wish only to emphasize how much we value your membership. We dearly hope that you will stay with us. Only together can we continue to extend the peace and prosperity that we have achieved over decades.
The EU needs you, and we believe you need the EU. Our affinities far outnumber our disparities. Let’s not gamble on the future. Let’s remain together, building on and improving our great Union.
Aufruf für einen Verbleib in der EU
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
liebe Freundinnen und Freunde,
letzte Woche startete das internationale literaturfestival berlin einen Aufruf an das britische Volk für einen Verbleib Großbritanniens in der Europäischen Union. Zahlreiche Schriftsteller haben den Aufruf unterzeichnet. Bitte finden Sie hier den Brief und unten angefügt die Unterzeichnerliste:
Liebe britische Freunde,
die Entscheidung, ob Großbritanien die Europäische Union verlassen möchte, ist in jedem Fall Eure eigene. Wir möchten Euch lediglich wissen lassen, wie sehr wir Eure Mitgliedschaft in der EU wertschätzen. Wir hoffen von tiefstem Herzen, dass Ihr in der EU bleibt. Nur gemeinsam können wir den Frieden und den Wohlstand, den wir gemeinsam über Jahrzehnte aufgebaut haben, aufrechterhalten und ausbauen. Die EU braucht Euch und wir glauben, auch Ihr braucht die EU. Unsere Verbundenheit übersteigt bei Weitem unsere Verschiedenheiten. Lasst uns die Zukunft nicht aufs Spiel setzen. Lasst uns verbunden bleiben, um diese großartige Gemeinschaft weiter auszubauen und zu verbessern.
Signatories / Unterzeichner:
Priya Basil, Ulrich Schreiber (Initiators)
and
Bán, Zsófia (Hungary)
Blaive, Muriel (France)
Buch, Hans-Christoph (Germany)
Cartarescu, Mircea (Romania)
Cercas Mena, Jose Javier (Spain)
Chervel, Thierry (Germany)
Ćosić, Bora (Croatia)
Dahl, Arne (Sweden)
Donner, Jörn (Finland)
Dragoman, György (Hungary)
Feltrinelli, Inge (Italy)
Grajauskas, Gintaras (Lithuania)
Hausemer, Georges (Luxembourg)
Helgason, Hallgrimur (Iceland)
Hertmans, Stefan (Belgium)
Jelinek, Elfriede (Austria)
Joris, Lieve (Netherlands)
Jungk, Peter Stephan (Austria)
Kassabova, Kapka (Bulgaria)
Kosslick, Dieter (Germany)
Mak, Geert (Netherlands)
Magnusson, Kristof (Iceland)
Makri, Elina (Greece)
Manguel, Alberto (France)
Marías, Javier (Spain)
Michalopoulou, Amanda (Greece)
Michnik, Adam (Poland)
Oksanen, Sofi (Finland)
Palmen, Connie (Netherlands)
Reybrouck, David van (Belgium)
Rosenberg, Göran (Sweden)
Rudiš, Jaroslav (Czech Republic)
Schneider, Peter (Germany)
Šteger, Aleš (Slovenia)
Teixeira, Paulo (Portugal)
Teller, Janne (Denmark)
Tokarczuk, Olga (Poland)
Toussaint, Jean-Philippe (France)
Zagajewski, Adam (Poland)
Zsolt, Láng (Romania)
EU/UK: Let's Stay United Appeal
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,
Last week the international literature festival started an appeal calling on the British people to vote for a stay in the EU. Numerous writers have signed the appeal. Please find the letter here and the signatories below:
Dear British Friends,
The decision on whether or not to leave the European Union is entirely yours. We wish only to emphasize how much we value your membership. We dearly hope that you will stay with us. Only together can we continue to extend the peace and prosperity that we have achieved over decades.
The EU needs you, and we believe you need the EU. Our affinities far outnumber our disparities. Let’s not gamble on the future. Let’s remain together, building on and improving our great Union.
Aufruf für einen Verbleib in der EU
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
liebe Freundinnen und Freunde,
letzte Woche startete das internationale literaturfestival berlin einen Aufruf an das britische Volk für einen Verbleib Großbritanniens in der Europäischen Union. Zahlreiche Schriftsteller haben den Aufruf unterzeichnet. Bitte finden Sie hier den Brief und unten angefügt die Unterzeichnerliste:
Liebe britische Freunde,
die Entscheidung, ob Großbritanien die Europäische Union verlassen möchte, ist in jedem Fall Eure eigene. Wir möchten Euch lediglich wissen lassen, wie sehr wir Eure Mitgliedschaft in der EU wertschätzen. Wir hoffen von tiefstem Herzen, dass Ihr in der EU bleibt. Nur gemeinsam können wir den Frieden und den Wohlstand, den wir gemeinsam über Jahrzehnte aufgebaut haben, aufrechterhalten und ausbauen. Die EU braucht Euch und wir glauben, auch Ihr braucht die EU. Unsere Verbundenheit übersteigt bei Weitem unsere Verschiedenheiten. Lasst uns die Zukunft nicht aufs Spiel setzen. Lasst uns verbunden bleiben, um diese großartige Gemeinschaft weiter auszubauen und zu verbessern.
Signatories / Unterzeichner:
Priya Basil, Ulrich Schreiber (Initiators)
and
Bán, Zsófia (Hungary)
Blaive, Muriel (France)
Buch, Hans-Christoph (Germany)
Cartarescu, Mircea (Romania)
Cercas Mena, Jose Javier (Spain)
Chervel, Thierry (Germany)
Ćosić, Bora (Croatia)
Dahl, Arne (Sweden)
Donner, Jörn (Finland)
Dragoman, György (Hungary)
Feltrinelli, Inge (Italy)
Grajauskas, Gintaras (Lithuania)
Hausemer, Georges (Luxembourg)
Helgason, Hallgrimur (Iceland)
Hertmans, Stefan (Belgium)
Jelinek, Elfriede (Austria)
Joris, Lieve (Netherlands)
Jungk, Peter Stephan (Austria)
Kassabova, Kapka (Bulgaria)
Kosslick, Dieter (Germany)
Mak, Geert (Netherlands)
Magnusson, Kristof (Iceland)
Makri, Elina (Greece)
Manguel, Alberto (France)
Marías, Javier (Spain)
Michalopoulou, Amanda (Greece)
Michnik, Adam (Poland)
Oksanen, Sofi (Finland)
Palmen, Connie (Netherlands)
Reybrouck, David van (Belgium)
Rosenberg, Göran (Sweden)
Rudiš, Jaroslav (Czech Republic)
Schneider, Peter (Germany)
Šteger, Aleš (Slovenia)
Teixeira, Paulo (Portugal)
Teller, Janne (Denmark)
Tokarczuk, Olga (Poland)
Toussaint, Jean-Philippe (France)
Zagajewski, Adam (Poland)
Zsolt, Láng (Romania)
28.4.2016
Authors for Peace Appeal
From Europe with Love: No Brexit, please.
Beloved Britain! Island of my heart. Don’t leave me. I, the EU, won’t be the same without you.
You made this commitment, signed the papers, agreed to start a family. You helped turn centuries of vexed history into a new, peaceful reality of shared values and goals. Yet, break-up looms before us now, a very public reckoning. Still, I feel a need to write to you in an intimate vein, a declaration of desire expressed in your own idiom. English: the lingua franca that you gave us.
For more than forty years – for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health – we have been united. We have grown to twenty-eight members. Like all families we fight and backbite, are disloyal and competitive, mock the black sheep and sigh about the white cliffs of Dover. But in the end, following your venerable tradition, we can agree to disagree and find ways to rub along.
Ours is a unique set-up: national sovereignty pooled in economic, social and political matters. An unprecedented feat! And now, after all that we’ve been through, and at a time when we need each other more than ever, you want to separate?
You’ve had commitment issues before. Yes, I know, you’re not the only one. There are a few renegade-types in our band, and yet they remain very much in the fold. When you opted to stay out of the Euro and Schengen I respected this, because I understand that even between the closest people infinite distances exist.
This is why I continue to accept our differences, and accommodate your need for greater autonomy. It is also why I conceded your wish to change our founding treaties. I can’t deny, I admire the way you assert yourself, often with understated irony. But relationships involve give as well as take.
You know very well the economic arguments for us staying together. You’ve long valued our common policies on trade and agriculture, and especially our single market. Now you want to strike out on your own, but hang on to mutual advantages. How far that will be possible, we’ll have to see. Inevitably, there will be double standards and that won’t be easy – either for you, or for me.
On the question of European politics you’ve always been touchy, regarding directives from Brussels as interference by the in-laws. It never seemed to help, and will perhaps make little difference now, to remind you that British MEPs are as involved as anyone else in drafting and voting on all rulings of the European Parliament. The harmonized laws across our lands are touchstones, shared norms that help equalize us.
We can certainly be proud of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which protects the civil liberties of all our citizens. This is especially significant for you, since you have no written constitution. You know that even before talk of a separation began, your government had plans to rescind the Human Rights Act, the mechanism by which the ECHR is applied within your borders. At the risk of sounding like a jealous ex, I must warn: you could get divorced only to find that you left your most prized possessions in the old, shared residence – and have no way of reclaiming them.
Just imagine if “fog on channel, continent cut-off” became the permanent forecast. A bleak outlook indeed, even for those who like lamenting bad weather. What are the prospects of finding another family as enlightened and diverse as the one you already have? What are the odds of striking good deals on your own in an arena full of much bigger players? In the current uncertain world climate, I fear that without each other our future will be chillier and lonelier.
But together, united, we could define a new vision for the planet. What we have created, though flawed and, I concede, in dire need of improvement, is a democratic model that moves beyond the constraints of nationalism while still recognizing the validity of the nation state. The great challenges of our time, such as migration, climate change and terrorism, cannot be solved at a state level. They require the sort of international cooperation and solidarity that is the marrow of the European Union. I say this in full knowledge that we are already failing on many fronts – but also in the belief that we can fail better if we continue as one, whereas separation holds the risk of us all failing entirely.
This is not a moment to turn away and reduce yourself, but rather a time to reach out and hold hands.
What is our European project but a belief in a common humanity, a commitment to pluralism and upholding fundamental rights that should extend to all, like an inheritance? I still have faith that in our union there is a strength and a promise so large that it is worth holding on to.
My darling island, forget your splendid isolation! Vote instead for a great rejuvenation of our European ties.
We are made for each other. Let’s stay together.
Authors for Peace Appeal
From Europe with Love: No Brexit, please.
Beloved Britain! Island of my heart. Don’t leave me. I, the EU, won’t be the same without you.
You made this commitment, signed the papers, agreed to start a family. You helped turn centuries of vexed history into a new, peaceful reality of shared values and goals. Yet, break-up looms before us now, a very public reckoning. Still, I feel a need to write to you in an intimate vein, a declaration of desire expressed in your own idiom. English: the lingua franca that you gave us.
For more than forty years – for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health – we have been united. We have grown to twenty-eight members. Like all families we fight and backbite, are disloyal and competitive, mock the black sheep and sigh about the white cliffs of Dover. But in the end, following your venerable tradition, we can agree to disagree and find ways to rub along.
Ours is a unique set-up: national sovereignty pooled in economic, social and political matters. An unprecedented feat! And now, after all that we’ve been through, and at a time when we need each other more than ever, you want to separate?
You’ve had commitment issues before. Yes, I know, you’re not the only one. There are a few renegade-types in our band, and yet they remain very much in the fold. When you opted to stay out of the Euro and Schengen I respected this, because I understand that even between the closest people infinite distances exist.
This is why I continue to accept our differences, and accommodate your need for greater autonomy. It is also why I conceded your wish to change our founding treaties. I can’t deny, I admire the way you assert yourself, often with understated irony. But relationships involve give as well as take.
You know very well the economic arguments for us staying together. You’ve long valued our common policies on trade and agriculture, and especially our single market. Now you want to strike out on your own, but hang on to mutual advantages. How far that will be possible, we’ll have to see. Inevitably, there will be double standards and that won’t be easy – either for you, or for me.
On the question of European politics you’ve always been touchy, regarding directives from Brussels as interference by the in-laws. It never seemed to help, and will perhaps make little difference now, to remind you that British MEPs are as involved as anyone else in drafting and voting on all rulings of the European Parliament. The harmonized laws across our lands are touchstones, shared norms that help equalize us.
We can certainly be proud of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which protects the civil liberties of all our citizens. This is especially significant for you, since you have no written constitution. You know that even before talk of a separation began, your government had plans to rescind the Human Rights Act, the mechanism by which the ECHR is applied within your borders. At the risk of sounding like a jealous ex, I must warn: you could get divorced only to find that you left your most prized possessions in the old, shared residence – and have no way of reclaiming them.
Just imagine if “fog on channel, continent cut-off” became the permanent forecast. A bleak outlook indeed, even for those who like lamenting bad weather. What are the prospects of finding another family as enlightened and diverse as the one you already have? What are the odds of striking good deals on your own in an arena full of much bigger players? In the current uncertain world climate, I fear that without each other our future will be chillier and lonelier.
But together, united, we could define a new vision for the planet. What we have created, though flawed and, I concede, in dire need of improvement, is a democratic model that moves beyond the constraints of nationalism while still recognizing the validity of the nation state. The great challenges of our time, such as migration, climate change and terrorism, cannot be solved at a state level. They require the sort of international cooperation and solidarity that is the marrow of the European Union. I say this in full knowledge that we are already failing on many fronts – but also in the belief that we can fail better if we continue as one, whereas separation holds the risk of us all failing entirely.
This is not a moment to turn away and reduce yourself, but rather a time to reach out and hold hands.
What is our European project but a belief in a common humanity, a commitment to pluralism and upholding fundamental rights that should extend to all, like an inheritance? I still have faith that in our union there is a strength and a promise so large that it is worth holding on to.
My darling island, forget your splendid isolation! Vote instead for a great rejuvenation of our European ties.
We are made for each other. Let’s stay together.
26.4.2016
No Brexit
Wolfgang Tillmans' Open Letter
Dear Friends,
I’m sure you are also following with horror the rightwards drift and anti-EU sentiment brewing across Europe. The Dutch referendum should be the final wake-up call, alerting people to the real risk of the UK’s EU referendum resulting in a victory for Leave.
The official ‘Remain’ campaign feels lame and is lacking in passion. It also lacks an active drive to get voters registered – and with the deadline already falling two weeks before the referendum, this should be an urgent priority.
I want to get involved and actively campaign. In particular, I want to work towards maximizing turnout among younger voters by focusing on the first, crucial step: voter registration – the deadline for which is June 7! So anyone who hasn’t registered before this date has no chance of having a say, no matter how strongly they feel about the issue. So the really crucial date is June 7. Everyone’s grannies registered their vote long ago, but students no longer get automatically registered by their unis. This is because of a new law brought in by the Conservatives that makes it possible for them to disenfranchise up to 800,000 students, who as a group tend to move around a lot more and so drop off the voter register easily. I feel that we have reached a critical moment that could prove to be a turning point for Europe as we know and enjoy it – one that might result in a cascade of problematic consequences and political fall-out. Firstly, the weakening of the EU is a goal being actively pursued by strongmen like Vladimir Putin and European parties on the far-right. Brexit could effectively spell the end of the EU. It’s a flawed and problematic institution, but on the whole it stands for a democratic worldview, human rights and favours cooperation over confrontation.
It could prove to be a one-in-a-generation moment. Can you imagine the years of renegotiations for undoing treaties, and all the negativity that would surround that.
Over the past few weeks, my assistants at my London and Berlin studios and Between Bridges have been working with me on these texts and designs. Please feel free to share these posters, they work as print your own PDFs, or on social media, or in any other way you can think of. I consider them open-source, you can take my name tag off if more appropriate.
Let’s hope for the best - but hope may not be enough
Wolfgang
No Brexit
Wolfgang Tillmans' Open Letter
Dear Friends,
I’m sure you are also following with horror the rightwards drift and anti-EU sentiment brewing across Europe. The Dutch referendum should be the final wake-up call, alerting people to the real risk of the UK’s EU referendum resulting in a victory for Leave.
The official ‘Remain’ campaign feels lame and is lacking in passion. It also lacks an active drive to get voters registered – and with the deadline already falling two weeks before the referendum, this should be an urgent priority.
I want to get involved and actively campaign. In particular, I want to work towards maximizing turnout among younger voters by focusing on the first, crucial step: voter registration – the deadline for which is June 7! So anyone who hasn’t registered before this date has no chance of having a say, no matter how strongly they feel about the issue. So the really crucial date is June 7. Everyone’s grannies registered their vote long ago, but students no longer get automatically registered by their unis. This is because of a new law brought in by the Conservatives that makes it possible for them to disenfranchise up to 800,000 students, who as a group tend to move around a lot more and so drop off the voter register easily. I feel that we have reached a critical moment that could prove to be a turning point for Europe as we know and enjoy it – one that might result in a cascade of problematic consequences and political fall-out. Firstly, the weakening of the EU is a goal being actively pursued by strongmen like Vladimir Putin and European parties on the far-right. Brexit could effectively spell the end of the EU. It’s a flawed and problematic institution, but on the whole it stands for a democratic worldview, human rights and favours cooperation over confrontation.
It could prove to be a one-in-a-generation moment. Can you imagine the years of renegotiations for undoing treaties, and all the negativity that would surround that.
Over the past few weeks, my assistants at my London and Berlin studios and Between Bridges have been working with me on these texts and designs. Please feel free to share these posters, they work as print your own PDFs, or on social media, or in any other way you can think of. I consider them open-source, you can take my name tag off if more appropriate.
Let’s hope for the best - but hope may not be enough
Wolfgang
| eu_campaign_wolfgang_tillmans.pdf |
