Divisions Resurface As Germany Celebrates Marx at 200

  • 5/6/2018
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Officials in the German city of Trier have unveiled a controversial monument to political philosopher Karl Marx to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth in the city. Some 4,000 people were on hand on May 5 to see the 5.5-meter-tall bronze statue, which was a gift from China to mark the birthday of the founder of Communism. On the other hand, protesters held banners reading “Down with capitalism” and “Father of all dictators” at the unveiling event, reflecting the polarizing legacy of the philosopher in his birthplace and beyond. Many see the post-World War Two division of Germany and the erection of the Berlin Wall to divide the Communist east from the capitalist West as a result of his ideas, but Trier mayor Wolfram Leibe said historical controversies should be acknowledged. “In Germany, we have this situation again and again with difficult, complex personalities of history - we want to hide them in the woods,” he said. “So it was a conscious act to bring Karl Marx into the city ... We don’t have to hide him.” The association representing victims of communism have called protests against the thinker they blame for inspiring Stalinist regimes. "We want to protest loudly against the unveiling of the Marx statue and raise our voices against the glorification of Marxism," said Dieter Dombrowski, president of the Union of the Victim Groups of Communist Tyranny. For Dombrowski, Triers decision to accept the gift from China is "disrespectful and inhuman" to those who suffered under communist regimes. Far-right party AfD, which enjoys strong support in former East German states, has meanwhile separately called a silent march with the theme "Get Marx off the pedestal" through Triers city center. With the far-right in the melee, counter-protesters are getting ready to march too against the nationalists. Born May 5, 1818 in the western German city close to the border with Luxembourg, Marx developed his theories as the Industrial Revolution gathered pace. He spent the first 17 years of his life in Trier, a small town on the Moselle River in Germany’s far west. His works such as the Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital subsequently became compulsory course material in countries under communist regimes, with revolutionaries from Vladimir Lenin to Mao Zedong seizing on Marxs ideas. Chinas President Xi Jinping on Friday said the Asian giants communist party will forever remain "guardians and practitioners" of Marxism, while Vietnamese leader Tran Dai Quang also penned a gushing commentary marking Marxs birth. Due to Marxs reputation as the Father of Communism, he was largely derided in the former capitalist West Germany during the Cold War. But since reunification, and particularly over the past decade, unbridled capitalism and its discontents have fuelled renewed interest in Marxs work. His theories on inequality and oppression of the working class find resonance today as societies once again see social and political upheaval. Rainer Auts, director of a company set up to oversee the exhibitions on Marxs life, works and legacy, said that more than a quarter-century after reunification, it was now time to reexamine the philosopher who left Germany deeply divided. "Were not looking to glorify or vilify him. But we want to show him as a person in his time, as well as show where he may have gone wrong," Auts told AFP. But the gigantic statue gifted by Beijing has sparked accusations of a city seeking to capitalize on Chinese tourists or investments. Rejecting the claims, mayor Leibe said it is simply "a gesture of friendship" from China. "There isnt a single Chinese company in Trier. We have no economic relations with China and that means we made this decision autonomously. We are not susceptible to blackmail," he told AFP. Leibe acknowledged that the statue could become a vandalism target, but said: "that isnt going to give me sleepless nights. It can simply be cleaned up." The row over Marx and his legacy has also taken on a further political dimension over the AfDs planned silent march. A group of counter-protestors want to make themselves heard against the far-right party, saying the AfDs controversial ideas against migrants constituted a "violation against humanity". At the same time, the counter-protesters are critical of Chinas present. "Nationalism and an authoritarian dictatorship rule in China. Trier city would have been better off using its own funds to build the long-overdue Marx statue," said the counter-protesters, which include several local left-leaning groups. Wading into the debate on Thursday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Marx should remain as he has been in history -- controversial. "I think that us Germans, in 2018, should neither inflate Marx nor banish him from our history," said Steinmeier. "We should neither be afraid of Marx nor build gold statues of him. In short, Marx should remain contentious."

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