Artists demand the reinstatement of the European Drama Award to Caryl Churchill
JVL Introduction
It is shocking that the European Drama prize awarded to Caryl Churchill has been withdrawn because of her support for Palestinians, disguised as allegations of antisemitism. Below this letter from Artists for Palestine UK and the long list of signatories are further statements of support; this is from the one from our colleagues in Germany.
“As Jews living in Germany, we are outraged by this systematic use of antisemitism accusations to silence artists and intellectuals who stand for human rights for all. Censorship and smear campaigns, such as the one currently directed against Caryl Churchill, are unfortunately common in Germany today.,. every challenge to Israeli human rights violations can be cast as ‘anti-semitic’. This is a very effective weapon in Germany, because the fear to be perceived as anti-semitic is so great, and this fear is manipulated to actually persecute human rights defenders, including Jews… We are expressing our solidarity with Caryl and remain committed to universal values of human rights and equality, which for many of us are also rooted in Jewish tradition and identity.”
Jüdische Stimme für Gerechtigkeit in Nahost / Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East
This article was originally published by Artists for Palestine UK on Thu 17 Nov 2022. Read the original here.
Leading lights of British theatre accuse European Drama Prize of modern-day McCarthyism
- Lifetime achievement award for Caryl Churchill rescinded over support for Palestinians
- Withdrawal prompts major intervention by more than 170 actors, directors, writers
Loading article text…
What has happened to Caryl Churchill is shocking and those who did it should be made to answer for their decision. It is indeed McCarthyism.
The German state has been in the forefront of demonising BDS. In the Bundestag it was the far-Right AfD, riddled with neo-Nazis which was the most fervent opponent of BDS.
We need to point out a few home truths to the German state. During 1933-39 the Nazi state itself did what the German state today is doing. It singled out the Zionist movement for favourable treatment. Non-Zionist youth groups were banned in 1936. Zionist groups were only banned in 1939.
On 28 January 1935 Heydrich issued a directive stating that:
‘the activity of the Zionist-oriented youth organisations that are engaged in the occupational restructuring of the Jews … lies in the interest of the National Socialist state’s leadership…. (they are) not to be treated with that strictness that it is necessary to apply to the members of the so-called German-Jewish organisations (assimilationists)’
You can find this quote in Lucy Dawidowicz’s ‘War Against the Jews’ p.118. Dawidowicz was a right wing Zionist historian.
We should also remind the German state that BDS is no different to the international Jewish and Labour movement boycott of Nazi Germany in 1933 which the Zionists, true to form also opposed!
Caryl Churchill’s play ‘Seven Jewish Children’ is one of the reasons given for why she was stripped of a richly deserved award. It’s only ten minutes long but in that short space of time it sums up the tragedy of modern Israel and its treatment of the Palestinians. This Guardian production features only one actor, but the staged play shares the lines among a larger cast. Powerful, indignant, distressing.
https://youtu.be/lYAYnJ6HZ5M
Congratulations to Artists for Palestine UK for successfully bringing to light this scandalous insult to a leading playwright. They have even managed to generate some mainstream media coverage! https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/nov/17/cancellation-of-award-for-playwright-caryl-churchill-condemned.
If they really think Caryl’s work is antisemitic will they start burning her books ?
I am appalled that Caryl Churchill is being denied the right to express herself.
The weaponization of antisemitism is deplorable.
I stand with her in my support for BDS, for the rights of Palestinians and against the abuses of apartheid Israel. Anti Zionism is NOT Antisemitism.
As the Jerusalem Declaration states,
“Boycott, divestment and sanctions are commonplace, non-violent forms of political protest against states. In the Israeli case they are not, in and of themselves, antisemitic”
The European Drama Award must be restored to her.
Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She was a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”
It is heartening to see this resistance expressed so well by everyone.
could be the subject of another play soon??
I totally support this letter it is appalling what has happened to Churchill and it should be reinstated
It is really difficult to understand how so many otherwise educated, intelligent, thoughtful people such as there must be on the jury of the Schauspiel Stuttgart cannot bring themselves to understand that Zionism is not a political philosophy common to all Jews, and that Israel does not have the support of the whole Jewish people, even when it is Jews who tell them these things, repeatedly and insistently. What exactly do we have to do to get it into these heads once and for all that it is entirely possible for Jews who are proud of their Jewish heritage to oppose Israel’s horrific treatment of the Palestinians and that their principled opposition to Israel is a direct expression of that pride?
It was a terrible shock to learn of this extraordinary action against Caryl Churchill and I am glad to be able to support this statement by Jewish Voice for Labour.