The Veiling of Sculptures in Germany

In cities all across Germany this morning, residents woke up to find female statues in their municipalities veiled. Based on the photos, mannequins in store windows were included among those figures forced into modesty.

A press release from the group that claims responsibility for the action was emailed to us this morning:

Veiling of sculptures and statues in a Germany-wide campaign

On the 18 September 2007, several female statues and sculptures in the cities of Berlin, Braunschweig, Bremen, Hamburg, Cologne, Witten, and Wuppertal are veiled with a Burka and a headscarf.

The aim of this campaign is to point out that the European idea of “unity in variety” is valid in Germany and that democratic and liberal as well as secular thinking is one of the most precious values that is to be protected and to be advocated for.

In a religious system that promotes totalitarian ideas and demands submission of individuals, such an achievement can easily get under pressure. Therefore, there should be a public discussion on whether the European vocabulary and the vocabulary of certain religious systems share a common basis. For instance, the “house of peace” and the “house of war” have a different meaning in Islam and in our understanding. According to the Islamic view, the “house of peace” can only exist where Islam reigns.

CAMPAIGN-PICTURES: Veiling of sculptures and statues in a Germany

To oppose these systems, we refer to the article of the German constitution about the right of an individual to develop individual freedom without violating the freedom of others. This is shown by printed signboard.

Even here in Europe, this value and other values of the German constitution are not accepted as the most precious value by certain continuously growing parallel societies.

With this campaign, we want to counter this development.

Anonymous group for democratic and free thinking

If you are a member of the “Anonymous group for democratic and free thinking”, please contact us at gatesofvienna@chromatism.net. I’m interested to find out more about your group, and I will preserve your privacy.

Below the jump is more detailed information about the individual figures that were veiled in their various cities.
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		Berlin
1.		“Neptunbrunnen”; Spanndauerstrasse, 10178 Berlin
2.		“Schiller’s Females”/ “Schillers Frauen”; Gendarmenmarkt, 10117 Berlin
3.		“Female Caller”/ “Ruferin”; Strasse des 17 Juni, 10785 Berlin
		Braunschweig
1.		“Braunschweiger Venus”; Am Wendentor, near the Torhaus
		Bremen
1.		“Lying female on an architrave block”/ “Liegende Frau auf einem Sockel”; in the “Wallanlagen”
		Hamburg
1.		“Waiting Woman”/ “Wartende Frau”; in front of the district office of Elmsböttel (service center)
2.		female scupture at the “Mönckebergbrunnen”; Mönckebergstrasse/ Spitalerstrasse
3.		“Female Postie”/ “Briefträgerin”; in front of the postoffice called Hoheluft
4.		man & female; at the Arno-Schmidt-Platz, in the front of central bank
5.		“Hammonia” auf der Brooksbröcke/ on the Brooksbridge between the Old Town and Old Warehouse District
		Köln
1.		“Curious Tailor’s Female”/ “Neugierige Schneidersfrau”; Heinzelmänchenbrunnen, at the Roncalli-Platz
		Witten
		Sculptures by Christel Lechner; in the urban area of Witten,
1.		in the pedestrian area
2.		at the registry office
		Wuppertal
1.		“Mina Knallenfalls”; Local famousness, pedestrian area, Poststrasse