Public criticism of the supposed peace festival “Pax Terra Musica” taking place this weekend in the town of Friesack near Berlin is increasing. The Brandenburg action alliance against right-wing extremism warns against a lack of differentiation from anti-democratic positions at the festival. In the program, an “openness to anti-democratic ideologies” is recognizable, says alliance chairman Thomas Wisch.
Brandenburg’s protection of the constitution also sees references to extremism. Individually announced program items of the Pax Terra Musica led to the assumption that the event would be attended by extremists: Their spectrum ranged “from constitutional protection-related delegitimizers of democracy to right-wing extremists to Reich citizens and glorifiers of the GDR,” said a spokesman for the protection of the constitution.
The Tagesspiegel reported extensively on the planned festival last week. In the meantime, Attac Germany has also reacted and forbidden its Cottbus local group from continuing to appear as part of the Attac network. The Cottbus section wants to take part as an exhibitor at the Pax Terra Musica. “The festival is characterized by the prominent participation of conspiracy ideologists and lateral thinkers. Participation in this festival is clearly not compatible with fundamental Attac positions,” says a statement from Attac Germany. In the future, the Cottbus section will no longer receive any funds and may no longer send delegates to Attac committees.
In addition, Attac Germany’s coordination group has asked the organizer of “Pax Terra Musica” to remove any reference to Attac from its website. The name has now actually disappeared from the festival’s homepage.
Other well-known conspiracy ideologues have declared that they will attend the festival. A prominent lateral thinker lawyer said on Telegram that he would definitely come. Also present will be the activist Oliver Becker, who recently welcomed Putin’s invasion as a “liberation action”. Becker says he would also be happy if Putin’s troops soon invade Germany and arrest the federal government. Both the rulers in Ukraine and in the Federal Republic are “fascists who have to go”.
The town of Friesack, which has a good 2,500 inhabitants, is the owner and operator of the open-air stage on which the festival will take place. In the past two years, four-digit amounts of public money have flowed into the operation of the stage.
Friesack’s mayor Christoph Köpernick is aware of the allegations against the festival, but doesn’t share them. He explained to the Tagesspiegel that there were “no abnormalities” at the last Pax Terra Musica 2019. And further: “The open-air stage was also left neat and clean.”
When asked whether he was concerned with the warning from the Brandenburg action alliance against right-wing extremism and whether the assessment by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution changed his own assessment of the festival, Christoph Köpernick did not answer.
On his Facebook profile, the mayor posts the schedule of the festival with various lateral thinkers, opponents of vaccination and other conspiracy ideologues – and announces that there is a special day ticket for residents.
