Bauhaus legacy invoked in new German manifesto for artistic freedom

German institutions representing art, architecture, design, and religion have issued a new manifesto to defend artistic freedom and creativity against rising nationalist discourse and attacks on cultural institutions.

Initiated by German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer, the document invokes the principles of the Bauhaus school, founded by Walter Gropius in 1919. The manifesto aims to promote innovation, dialogue, and democratic coexistence through culture.

The initiative is supported by a broad alliance, including the German Council of Culture, the German Commission for UNESCO, the German Episcopal Conference, the Evangelical Church in Germany, the German Association of Cities, the German Association of Museums, and the Academy of Arts.

The choice of the Bauhaus as a symbol is significant; the influential movement was forcibly closed in 1933 by the Nazi regime, which labeled its experimental approaches as ‘cultural degeneracy.’