The German Book Trade Association considers the choice by Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer (impartial) to take away three left-wing bookstores from the checklist of nominees for the German Bookstore Prize on account of suspicion of extremism as “completely unacceptable.” Stock trade affiliation director Sebastian Guggolz spoke within the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (Monday) of a “test of attitudes”. Weimer is damaging “the constitution, the protection of the constitution and this price”. “It puts all bookstores under general suspicion and causes extreme uncertainty,” added Guggolz.
Weimer had withdrawn from the jury’s advice to award the three bookstores due to “findings relevant to the protection of the constitution”. This was preceded by a question to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in accordance with the so-called Haber process. “The Haber process was developed to combat extremist and terrorist organizations,” criticized Guggolz. It has no place within the cultural sector.
The bookstores affected need to sue
Affected by Weimer’s resolution are the bookstores “Rote Straße” in Göttingen, “The Golden Shop” in Bremen and “Zur wechselnden Weltkugel” in Berlin. You need to sue in opposition to the exclusion from the value. The Exchange Association helps them on this.
“On the one hand, the basis for the decision is completely unclear,” stated Guggolz. On the opposite hand, the Haber course of was not developed to advertise tradition, however to stop extremist or terrorist organizations from receiving state cash. “Nobody has been able to explain to me where there is a danger here and where the suspicions come from,” stated the top of the inventory trade affiliation.
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/debatten/boersenverein-weimer-stellt-buchhandlungen-unter-generalverdacht-accg-200612651.html