Religious Apartheid 1997 – Continuing Official Repression of Minority Religious Rights in Germany

Chick Corea has enjoyed a special and successful musical relationship with the German public. Over the last 30 years, he has regularly performed in solo and group concerts to enthusiastic audiences in Germany, he has helped to initiate, support and sustain prestigious music festivals in Germany, and he has recorded numerous albums for the most successful and creative jazz and new music recording company in the world, ECM Records in Munich. Indeed, Mr. Corea was one of the first artists to help establish ECM as the leader in its field. Mr. Corea is the only American ever honored with the prestigious Frankfurter Musikpreis (Frankfurt Music Award). He has been an Ambassador of American jazz and music culture throughout Germany and the world.

Yet, the German government’s action in Bavaria, along with similar government actions in Baden-Wuerttemberg and Hessia, raises the ominous specter that an American citizen who is one of the most acclaimed pianists in the world will be deprived of his right to perform his art in Germany.

These discriminatory actions have seriously damaged Mr. Corea. Over the last three decades, Mr. Corea performed approximately 15 concerts a year in Germany to sold out audiences. Over the last few years, Mr. Corea has been invited to perform in only a few concerts in Germany; these few concerts have resulted in government intimidation of concert promoters and statements outlawing Mr. Corea from performing in the future.

Unfortunately, the discrimination experienced by Mr. Corea is not an isolated incident, but instead is part of a disturbing escalation of official intolerance against artists in Germany who are believed to be associated with Scientology in violation of these individuals’ fundamental, artistic and religious rights. Indeed, this is the third 1996 incident involving the blacklisting of Scientology artists in Germany.

As reported by the German media on March 13, 1996, a concert by the American band, Golden Bough, which was scheduled to take place in April in Ketterschwang was cancelled on March 12 by the organizers when they received information from the “sect-expert” of the diocese in Augsburg that Golden Bough is “connected” to Scientology.⁶² Golden Bough is a music group from Pacifica, California, specializing in traditional and original acoustic music. Over the past two decades, Golden Bough has enjoyed popularity in Europe, performing at festivals and concert halls, as well as on radio and television. All three members of the group—Paul Espinoza, Margie Butler, and Florie Brown—are American citizens.

Although Golden Bough has sold out concerts in the area, the chairman of the cabaret association in Ketterschwang informed the press that the band would be refused future engagements because its members are Scientologists. The concert was cancelled even though the promoter stated to the press that it was a pity as Golden Bough plays extraordinary music and even though Golden Bough does not proselytize, promote or even refer to Scientology in its concerts.

In May 1996, an exhibition of the paintings of German artist Carl Rohrig which was scheduled to run through July was terminated by the Park Hotel in Ahrensburg because of pressure put on the hotel by a politician who demanded that the hotel publicly “disassociate” from Mr. Rohrig due to his association with the Scientology religion.⁶³

These latest actions to stifle artistic expression violate fundamental principles of human rights which Germany has agreed to adhere to in internationally binding human rights instruments. Germany is the only country in the world to censure Scientology artists because of their religion.

Under these circumstances, international assistance is necessary so that other artists do not suffer similar suppression due to their ideological affiliation.

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