“What Have You Learned, Germany? Nothing!”: Nan Goldin’s Fiery Speech Shakes Berlin Art Scene

Berlin (Quds News Network)- Renowned Jewish American photographer Nan Goldin used the opening of her retrospective exhibition at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin to denounce Israel’s genocide and call for global action. Goldin, 71, emphasized her moral outrage in a powerful speech that drew parallels between the Nazi Holocaust, the pogroms her grandparents fled in Russia, and the current Israeli genocide in Gaza.

“My grandparents escaped pogroms in Russia. I was brought up knowing about the Nazi Holocaust. What I see in Gaza reminds me of the pogroms that my grandparents escaped,” Goldin said.

Addressing the audience on Friday, Goldin began with a moment of silence, symbolizing “one one-hundredth of a second for each of the 44,757 people killed in Palestine by Israeli forces, half of them children, 10,000 buried under rubble.” She highlighted additional casualties in Lebanon, underscoring the “systematic destruction of life and infrastructure” in the region.

In her speech, Goldin criticized Germany for conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism, stating that the government is using this false equivalency to suppress dissent. She called for global acknowledgment of the genocide unfolding in Gaza, urging the US and other nations to cease military aid to Israel.

“This is a war against children,” she declared, noting that on average, a child in Gaza is killed every ten minutes. Goldin also stated that the Israeli government is committing a cultural genocide, pointing to the destruction of homes, schools, libraries, and other vital infrastructure in Gaza.

Goldin argued that the US bears significant responsibility for the violence, stating, “This is not just an Israeli war. It’s also an American war.” She pointed to the billions in US military aid to Israel and corporate profits tied to the genocide.

She concluded her speech calling for a global action. “Our grief and our anger need to be channeled into action. The most important thing is to take to the streets. The more of us there are, the more of us there are”, she stated.

Goldin’s speech was met with applause and chants of “Free, free Palestine,” which intensified as she left the stage. The chants drowned out an attempt by gallery director Klaus Biesenbach to deliver a follow-up counter address.

Hermann Parzinger, president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, which oversees the gallery, sharply attacked Goldin’s remarks and the audience’s disruption. He defended Israel, caliming that, “Israel is a strong opposition to any kind of antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, and all other forms of hatred, bigotry, and violence.”

“We have a unique historical responsibility here in Berlin and in Germany”, he added.

Nan Goldin, born in Washington D.C. to Jewish parents, has long been a prominent figure in both the art world and activism. Her life and work were the focus of the Oscar-winning 2022 documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed.

Goldin’s decision to use her Berlin exhibition as a platform for human rights has reignited debates over freedom of expression and the role of artists in addressing global injustices.