Hermann Parzinger on Defending Culture in Polarized Times

Hermann Parzinger, an archaeologist turned prominent cultural manager, discusses defending culture amid growing polarization in the latest episode of Monopol magazine's podcast "Fantasiemuskel." Since April, Parzinger has served as curator of the Hauptstadtkulturfonds (Capital City Cultural Fund), a new role overseeing contemporary art funding. Previously, he was president of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation), which oversees numerous Berlin museums and libraries. In the podcast, hosted by Friedrich von Borries, Parzinger reflects on his journey as the first in his family to attend university, rising to become one of Germany's most powerful cultural figures. He emphasizes the importance of critical source analysis learned as a historian, contrasting it with archaeology's neutral findings. Parzinger addresses political interference in cultural work, asserting that the state should provide framework conditions for cultural funding but not interfere with content. His mission with the Hauptstadtkulturfonds is to support innovative and experimental projects, defending culture against right-wing shifts and political encroachment.