Hardly any other topic has been on the minds of Unterföhringer for almost a year more than the debate about the Mohr, which adorns the municipality’s coat of arms and is presented as a stylized representation in the form of a black marble bust as an audience award to the most popular artist at the cultural events becomes. Last September the local council decided to rename the award: the Unterföhringer Mohr became the Unterföhringer Kulturpreis, but the local politicians wanted to stick to the figure and give new advice when the educational series decided by the committee and organized by the local cultural office in the spring on the subject of racism has been completed and results are available. That is the case now.
Artist competition planned
In its session on Thursday evening, after an in-depth debate, the local council voted by a majority in favor of saying goodbye to the bust because its symbolism could be understood as degrading. Artists are now to submit proposals in a competition as to what a sculpture could look like in the future that relates to Unterföhring and its history.
With the Unterföhringen coat of arms from the 1950s, however, everything should remain as it is. The proposal worked out by the administration to gently modernize the clichéd portrayal of the Mohrenkopf, as suggested by Kerstin Bühring, personal assistant to city hall chief Andreas Kemmelmeyer (party-free electorate, PWU), did not find a majority. Even the mayor himself voted against it.
Before that, arguments were once again intensively exchanged as to whether the figure could be seen as a degradation. The new FDP councilor Veit Wiswesser denied and pointed out that there was “a lot of rumor” on site because of the topic and that the committee had to ask “whether we really still represent the citizens”. He suggested a public survey, which met with little approval. Johann Zehetmair (PWU) rejected a redesign, saying the figure was “a symbol of appreciation”.
Educational series on racism
The former Green Saran Diané, who joined the SPD parliamentary group after the 2020 local elections without a party book, objected. Her father, who was born in Guinea and recently deceased, has experienced racism on a regular basis in Germany for more than 40 years. The Moor stands for the colonial era; What counts for her is how such a representation is received by black people, that is what the conversations had shown her. As Unterföhringer, who grew up in the village and is often involved, including in the parish of St. Valentin, she can understand that one feels connected to the coat of arms. Nevertheless, she pleaded for changing the national emblem. In vain.
Before the debate, the cultural office had presented a balance sheet of the racism education series: More than 300 interested people took part in the eleven events of the community center, which had to take place online due to the pandemic, as reported by Florian Nagel from the cultural office. Readings, plays, workshops and project days were offered together with the VHS Nord, associations, citizens and the grammar school, the administration took part, as did the local council. It was about the different forms of racism and, above all, its manifestations in everyday life. Together you have to work on being more mindful, said Nagel and received great approval from the committee, which unanimously praised the series as successful and illuminating.