Overview

• Mayor Jürgen Mevius told dpa he resigned on Friday and, according to the Ostsee-Zeitung, will remain in office until the end of October.
• Friedman had been invited for October 2026 at the Uwe-Johnson Literaturhaus during a Hannah Arendt program, but the appearance was canceled.
• Literaturhaus director Oliver Hintz said the cancellation followed a call from Mevius and a city panel’s opposition, citing fears of possible protests by right-wing or Hamas sympathizers; Mevius disputed that account.
• The disinvitation drew nationwide criticism, with federal antisemitism commissioner Felix Klein warning against preemptive retreat by public authorities from perceived extremists.
• Friedman criticized Mevius in an NDR interview, and Focus reported that a Literaturhaus staff member had opposed the event and took the issue to city hall.