As part of the „International Solidarity – Stop Austerity!“ campaign, we are organizing a film seminar as an open-air cinema at the Philosophenturm (Von-Melle-Park 6). If the weather is bad, we go to lecture hall Von-Melle-Park 9.

More about the film:
The German history of fascism, the beginning of two world wars and the industrial mass extermination of more than 6 million Jews gives rise to a special historical responsibility: peace, international cooperation, the overcoming of prejudice structures of all kinds as well as the realisation of globally humane living conditions are the constitutional mandate of each and everyone.
A major obstacle to all efforts in this direction – apart from the social Darwinist misanthropy of the original neo-Brown swamp – is the now inflationary abuse of German history to justify today’s war policies and crimes against humanity.
A highly problematic example of this is the interest-led-official handling of the Middle East conflict. By labelling any criticism of the policies of the Israeli state as „anti-Semitic“, not only is a racial-national narrative itself being served (state = „ethnicity“) and thus any real fight against anti-Semitism is being done an absolute disservice. In the same breath, any oppositional stance to the extreme right-wing Israeli government is to be silenced and a cloak of silence is to be placed over the international and human rights violations that the Israeli military has been perpetrating for decades against the Palestinian population in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Against this backdrop, the tireless commitment of the activists of „Breaking the Silence“ is all the more impressive. In her film, Silvina Landsmann documents their courageous efforts for a civil solution to the conflict and an end to Israel’s occupation policy, which even UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon described as an apartheid regime.
The NGO, founded in 2004, consists exclusively of active and former soldiers of the Israeli army who are or were deployed in the occupied territories. On the basis of testimonies and descriptions, they document the inhuman practices of the occupation regime in which they themselves participated. In doing so, they not only break the imposed silence about the true role of the Israeli army, which has little to do with national defence and defence against terrorism, but actively participates in ethnic cleansing, land seizures, expulsions and the destruction of vital infrastructure of the Palestinian civilian population in close collaboration with the ultra-reactionary settler movement. They also break the silence about the fact that the aggressive inhumanity of the occupation also deeply dehumanises the occupiers themselves.
Their word carries weight. Because they speak from (disturbing) experience – unlike most advocates of the occupation, which is against international law. Their personal testimonies have an enormous impact. At the same time, they expose the cynical mendacity of all those who, from their luxurious living room chairs, willingly accept the brutalisation of the entire society in the name of the „Jewish people“ for the sake of a profitable permanent state of war, as well as the psychotisation of entire generations of conscript, young Israelis who are to be burnt up in a conflict that cannot be solved militarily.
There is hardly anything that can make peace so obvious as soldiers who fight against war itself. For this very reason, the activists of „Breaking the Silence“ are slandered, attacked and persecuted by reactionary forces at home and abroad.
The film vividly shows how they nevertheless succeed in constantly intensifying their civilian commitment to raising awareness: on guided tours for foreign guests through occupied Hebron, through discussion events in universities, in encounters with Palestinian friends, military personnel at the checkpoints and angry settlers, during awareness-raising campaigns in the middle of Tel Aviv’s party miles and, last but not least, in the contentious and solidary debate about the right strategy within the activist group itself.
The result is a groundbreaking document of the humanist struggle for peace, justice and human dignity. Exactly where such work should seem impossible, it unfolds its greatest persuasive power. A perspective-building example that should set a precedent.    
Bread, peace, dignity – now! International solidarity: an end to austerity.

„ As Lassalle said, the most revolutionary act is and remains always »to say aloud what is«.“

Rosa Luxemburg, „In revolutionary hour: What next?“, 1906.

You can find out more about the campaign online on the campaign page (www.schluss-mit-austeritaet.de), the flyer for the anti-austerity film seminar series and further events are available at www.schluss-mit-austeritaet.de/film-seminar-gegen-austeritaet.

We will show a film every fortnight; the Wednesdays when no film is shown will be used for the anti-austerity activist meetings, where we will discuss the further development of the campaign, the gaining of new alliance partners and the planning of further activities.
All who are interested are cordially invited!

Mail:kontakt@schluss-mit-austeritaet.de
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ISSMA2018
Twitter: https://twitter.com/issmakampagne
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/issma_antiausterity