Prince Damien Ritzinger, 33, singer, dancer, choreographer, former DSDS winner:
“I grew up in a village near Munich in the 1990s and have struggled with racism a lot of my life. I was born in Johannesburg in South Africa, but I celebrated my first birthday here. My home is Germany Bavaria. I’m often asked where I come from, I’m used to looking different, but I still don’t feel really welcome, even though a lot has improved since I was a child and most people are more open We shouldn’t go back to earlier times! That’s why I didn’t hesitate to take part in the project. The song is very raw and the message is great show that we are the majority. We want to lead a diverse, colorful life. Because the voices from the right are becoming louder, we have to take a stand against this development, because you can sense that the mood in the country becomes more violent again.”
Katja Ebstein, 79, chanson singer, multiple Eurovision participant and activist:
“I’ve been against the right since I was twelve. We had a fantastic history teacher at school; he and Alain Resnais’ film “Night and Fog” about the German concentration camps and the horror of the Nazi era sharpened my senses. I still understand it to this day I don’t know what people can do to other people. Isn’t it crazy? Historically speaking, only a few decades have passed since the Holocaust and we’re already hearing inhumane statements from AfD politicians Politics allows the right to establish itself so strongly in our country.
We are unable to make good immigration policy. I also shudder when 1,000 people on the street call for the caliphate; accepting that is tolerant to the point of stupidity. I describe myself as multicultural, but such developments endanger our free society.
What’s happening in the world right now almost makes me despair, but that would be against my motto in life. I can’t live without hope, so I’d rather open my mouth and try to educate as best I can. Otherwise it makes no sense for me as an artist to go on stage. I’ve been out of the pop scene for a long time, but I still said yes to Ronnie straight away.
I also go to demos a lot, I’ve been there before and now again. My anger from my youth remains with me. I appeal whenever I can: people, use your common sense! But it makes me happy that many young people have woken up and are getting involved. We have to support them in every way possible. As a society, we are all asked to take responsibility. Especially today, we have nothing better than democracy.”
Anita Eichhorn, actress, has been seen in the role of pharmacist Tina Brenner in the BR series “Dahoam is Dahoam” since 2021:
“In these times you have to take a position. I have a very clear stance for democracy, tolerance and against hate speech. The request whether I would like to sing along to the song “Not with us” came through my agent. He didn’t try to contact me – on the contrary, I’m an actress and have never been in a recording studio before, but it was immediately clear to me: I was there and wanted to try it. It was a nice experience, I think that our voices complement each other very well .
I know that many colleagues prefer to hold back rather than express their opinions because they are afraid of reactions. They fear making themselves unpopular. We girls in particular have been taught long enough not to say anything and not to offend. But if you don’t say anything, you’ll eventually lose your voice. Having a voice in society is something women have fought for for centuries and we shouldn’t let that be taken away from us. It’s more important than ever to take action.”
Susanne Jell, 66, photographer, photographed many of the supporters for the project:
“Even though things are still relatively moderate in Munich, I think the general mood in the country has already changed. Our ruling politicians should communicate much more clearly and stick together better. The dispute in the coalition is a bad signal. This is fueling discord among the people and therefore also among the voters. I would like to see a much more critical approach from the media to the unbelievable statements that the right-wingers are spreading. You have to make it clear again and again what lies they are saying. There can’t be enough votes against them to the right and people who say: ‘Not with us’.”