German rapper duo Kollegah and Farid Bang
Photo: AFP
Anti-Semitic German rappers to visit Auschwitz
Kollegah and Farid Bang, whose lyrics include references to the death camp and the Holocaust, accept invitation by International Auschwitz Committee to visit extermination site on June 3.
German rapper duo Kollegah and Farid Bang, whose music came under criticism for anti-Semitic lyrics, said Thursday they plan to visit the Auschwitz–Birkenau Nazi extermination camp in Poland next month.
The wave of protest that followed the decision to honor the rappers, which saw some German artists announce they would return their Echo awards, led organizers to cancel the ceremony.
Last month, the two—whose real names are Felix Blume and Farid El Abdellaoui—won the prestigious Echo award, Germany's top music honor.
The decision to award them with the prize caused outrage in Germany. One of their songs, "0815," includes the lyrics: "My body is more defined that those of Auschwitz inmates," as well as the line: "Commit another Holocaust, come with a Molotov cocktail."
German rapper duo Kollegah and Farid Bang win Echo award (Photo: AFP)
Earlier this week, the state attorneys in Dusseldorf announced they were investigating the duo for hate speech after two people pressed charges against the rappers.
German rapper duo Kollegah and Farid Bang (Photo: AFP)
Kollegah and Farid Bang said they plan to visit Auschwitz on June 3 after being invited there by the International Auschwitz Committee.
The organization's executive vice-president Christoph Heubner told German media that the visit "will not be a show, but a confrontation with the reality and history of this place."
Heubner added it's important "that every person is ready to learn and overcome anti-Semitic prejudices," noting the visit would also be "a signal to their many fans."
