Overview

• The planned appearance in October 2026 at the Uwe‑Johnson‑Literaturhaus was part of events marking Hannah Arendt’s 120th birthday.
• Director Oliver Hintz says a long‑time employee opposed the booking and escalated it to city officials, and he now fears losing his job as the case becomes public.
• Mayor Jürgen Mevius says there was no formal council vote, only an opinion check among city representatives, and he later cited financial concerns despite supporters saying private backers would cover costs.
• Hintz reports the instruction referenced possible protests by right‑wing groups or Hamas sympathizers, with local context noting the AfD won nearly 40% of the vote in Klütz in the last federal election.
• Friedman says he was only briefly informed and remains interested in appearances in eastern states, while Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern’s culture minister urged a solution and national figures condemned the cancellation.