Overview

• Daniel Kehlmann warns that systematic cuts to US arts funding mirror the Nazi-era strategy of cultural coordination known as Gleichschaltung.
• He cautions that free speech is effectively suspended for visa and Green Card holders in the American cultural sector.
• Kehlmann highlights widespread self-censorship among artists who fear losing government support or industry roles.
• He argues that only a severe downturn in the US economy might erode public backing for President Trump’s policies.
• Kehlmann’s novel Lichtspiel has climbed US bestseller charts as readers draw parallels between its depiction of Nazi propaganda and today’s political climate.