Artistic Parody or Criminal Act? Roger Waters Investigated by German Authorities for Mocking Nazis

Roger Waters is under investigation by German authorities for doing what he’s always done, mocking Nazies.

Police in Germany have launched an investigation into the Pink Floyd co-founder and renowned musician, Roger Waters, after his recent performance at a concert in Berlin stirred controversy.

Waters, known for his artistic provocations, wore a Nazi-inspired uniform and fired an imitation machine gun as part of a skit during the show. The recreation of a scene from Pink Floyd’s 1982 film “The Wall” aimed to mock the Nazi ideology, and Berlin, with its historical significance, served as a poignant backdrop.

@rogerwaters, faces investigation in Germany for audaciously mocking Nazis in his long-standing show, a satirical homage to 'The Wall.' Irony ensues as he is targeted while Germany arms a country venerating Stepan Bandera. Perhaps he should just go, full Big Brother, next time. pic.twitter.com/XuSJzgUSv3

— Labour Heartlands (@Labourheartland) May 26, 2023

Roger Waters is in character as Pink Floyd, a rock star who overdoses and descends into madness, hallucinating he is a dictator at a fascist rally, and the audience are his supporters. It is a role famously played by Bob Geldof in the movie “Pink Floyd: The Wall” (1982).

The use of Nazi imagery, even for artistic purposes, is strictly regulated in Germany and can carry severe penalties, including up to three years in prison. However, exceptions are made for artistic and educational expressions.

Waters has defended his choice of symbolism, asserting that it is intended to criticize groups like the Nazis and highlight the ease with which populist politics can evolve into fascism.

Critics of Waters’ performance include Israel’s Foreign Ministry and the US campaign group StopAntisemitism. They argue that his use of Nazi symbolism trivialises and denigrates the memory of Holocaust victims, such as Anne Frank.

On the other hand, Waters maintains that his portrayal is a parody and condemns antisemitism unequivocally.

In 2016, Royal Mail stamps quite rightly honour 50 years of Pink Floyd with comparative stamps including the famous marching hammers from the album the wall.

The stamps celebrated the band’s live performances, which broke new ground with extensive use of lights and film projections. The images will portray Pink Floyd’s psychedelic light shows and the staging of their The Wall album.

“Few bands in the history of rock have managed to carve out a career as rich and expansive as that of Pink Floyd,” said Royal Mail.

The Memory hole

It does make you wonder where this will stop. Will Mel Brooks’s fabulous To Be or Not to Be with its “Springtime for Hitler” end up down the memory hole too, along with all those Ukrainian Nazis that now never existed?

This incident follows a recent legal battle in Frankfurt, where officials attempted to cancel Waters’ scheduled concert, citing concerns of antisemitism. The ban was eventually overturned on appeal, allowing the performance to proceed. Waters has faced similar controversies in the past, including cancelled shows in Poland due to his views on the war in Ukraine.

The convergence of Waters’ provocative performance and Germany’s current political climate raises questions about the boundaries of artistic expression, historical sensitivity, and freedom of speech. In an era where Germany’s political landscape has witnessed a shift toward the far right with Bundestag representation by the Alternative for Germany (ADF) whose ideology is positioned on the radical right, a subset of the far-right, within the family of European political parties and controversial armament of Ukraine who are openly venerating Nazi collaborators as state heroes such as Stepan Bandera, the incident invites critical reflection on the state of society and the potential dangers of historical revisionism.

As we navigate these Orwellian times, where political ideologies can become distorted and history is constantly been thrown down the memory hole, it seems that the only entrance to engage in nuanced discussions about art, history, and politics, even the ethical responsibilities of artists come through controversy.

While some may view Waters’ act as a form of biting satire, others find it deeply offensive and insensitive. Ultimately, it is up to society to grapple with these complex issues and determine the limits of artistic expression in a world still haunted by the shadows of the past, not the police.

However, many of us just get the message…