In the current debate about the peace statue, the consideration of the survivors of the “comfort women” system and other victims of sexualized violence should be the primary concern. However, this does not seem to be the key focus of Ms. Remlinger's considerations.

On June 20, 2024, Ms. Remlinger declared that her intention is to fight against sexualized violence in wars together with the Korea Association. We welcome her initiative to erect further memorials for victims of sexualized violence. However, this promise offers no valid reason for the removal of the Peace Statue. The Peace Statue is already a universal memorial that not only honors the “comfort women”, but also contextualizes and honors the ongoing struggles of FLINTA* individuals against sexualized violence and feminicide.

Unfortunately, Ms. Remlinger has once again declined our invitation to the “Museum der Trostfrauen” (MuT for short) and failed to inform herself about our concrete strategies and projects in the field of remembrance and education. We would like to say to the signatories of this petition that after these experiences, we have only limited confidence in the words of the district mayor.

Is it true that a temporary work of art cannot be permanently preserved in its place? 

From the very beginning, we had to rely on communication with the Bezirksamt (district office), which increasingly became less transparent. When we were planning the installation of the Peace Statue in 2020, the officials of the Bezirksamt advised us to submit our application via the Commission for Art in Urban Space (KIST). They pointed out to us that the approval for a permanent installation might take a very long time and that the elderly former “comfort women” would hardly be alive by the time the decision will be made. They assured us that the installation could be extended again and again if the residents did not object. A maximum of two years was not mentioned at that time. In June 2023, an employee of the Bezirksamt informed us that the two-year limit was “practical application” and that there were already some exceptions in the Mitte district.

In the last official email from the Bezirksamt dated 23.09.2022, it was stated that the statue would be “tolerated” until further notice while the legal department examined the extension of the exemption permit. It seems it is being reviewed for two years. We have not heard anything from them since then. On 09.11.2022, Ms. Remlinger announced the extension of the toleration by two years in the BVV's Committee for Education and Culture. In January 2023, there was an informal statement that the process would be postponed until after the Berlin elections.

In mid-June 2023, two officials from the district office approached us about the Peace Statue’s text plaque in the Korea Association. We had submitted an adaptation of the text in advance, which also referred to the system of Wehrmacht brothels operated by Germany during the Second World War. We agreed that the Bezirksamt would submit a concrete further proposal after this meeting. Since then we have not heard anything from them. We are therefore puzzled by Ms. Remlinger's statement, in which she speaks of transparent communication. We were never informed about the district authority's decision of 20.09.2022. Nor were we told that the discussion about changing the text plaque had “failed” or that a changed text was a prerequisite for extending the toleration, as Ms. Remlinger states in her response.

What has happened to suddenly make the peace statue no longer tolerable? 

After his visit to Tokyo in May 2024, Kai Wegner announced in a press release that “changes” regarding the Peace Statue were needed. We were then informed, not by the district office but by journalists, that the district office was planning to remove Ari on September 28, 2024.

This special work of art must be recognized!

The Ari Peace Statue became world-famous after it was almost removed by the former district mayor in October 2020. Even then, the resistance from civil society showed how significant the statue was and still is. The BVV recognized the significance of the artwork and repeatedly called on the district office to permanently preserve the statue. Since then, students, academics, artists and journalists have been contacting us almost daily to find out more about the “comfort women” and the Peace Statue. People from all over the world visit Ari and our “Museum of the Comfort Women”.

We can see how much Ari is appreciated by the fact that we were able to collect more than 2,000 signatures from people living in the Berlin-Mitte district for the residents' petition within three weeks. Everyone thanked us for our work and couldn’t understand why Ari is being removed. They have observed all our activities at the statue and recognize our work, while Ms. Remlinger hides behind the legal paragraphs of the alleged maximum installation time. We hope that the politicians of the CDU and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen will finally listen to the citizens and allow the statue of peace to be preserved.

Photo: Miyeon Choi