Culture and science - Gremmels campaigns for affordable student accommodation
Insufficient living space, high rents: Hessian Science Minister Timon Gremmels (SPD) will advocate for more affordable housing for students. Together with Building Minister Kaweh Mansoori (SPD), he intends to bring additional construction projects into motion, he declared in his first government statement in the Landtag in Wiesbaden.
The Student Services, Counseling, and Internationalization of Universities should be encouraged, "to bring more young people to a degree in Hesse," Gremmels stated. The "dramatic shortage of affordable housing" hinders access to education. The Hessian scientific landscape "must remain accessible and free for people from all social strata," emphasized the Science and Culture Minister.
Regarding conflicts and crises, Gremmels highlighted the importance of strengthening democracy. He plans to focus his work on combating extremism with scientific means. The Social Democrat continued: "We need not only well-connected security agencies and functioning media but also fundamental knowledge, as well as applied expertise." Culture and science are not a luxury but "essential elements of democracy." Science and universities must be sufficiently funded and protected from pure marketability.
Antisemitism Debate
Regarding the antisemitism debate that overshadowed the documenta 15 art exhibition in Kassel in 2022, Minister Gremmels, who hails from this city, stated that one of his most important tasks was to restore the tarnished reputation of the show. "Art freedom and the protection of human dignity should not be played against each other," Gremmels said. A structural reform is underway: "We want documenta 15 to become the role model for documenta 16."
The mood in the arts community may be heated, but it is essential to strengthen the arts scene in Kassel with its "exhibitions of global significance." Gremmels reiterated that documenta 16 "will go ahead, if necessary, only in 2028 instead of 2027." The show is, alongside the Venice Biennale, one of the most important exhibitions for contemporary art.
Criticism from the Opposition
Green Deputy Nina Eisenhardt criticized Gremmels for not losing a single word about the current challenges in science and culture. "Given the financial deficit of over 100 million Euros that Hessian universities are currently facing, this is a strong statement," she explained.
The scientific policy spokesperson for the AfD fraction, Frank Grobe, demanded that the funds provided by the state be adapted better and more flexibly to the actual needs of the universities. "Additionally, we need an elite and excellence promotion that deserves the name," he added. "Ideology projects like gender research or diversity are, however, unnecessary."
Scientific freedom is a cornerstone of democracy," confirmed FDP parliamentarian Matthias Büger. In order to uphold it, however, the necessary conditions must be met. "Universities must have sufficient resources, planning security, and internal freedom. The black-red state government cannot guarantee this, however," he criticized. "They lack the strategy to protect and preserve scientific freedom." For the year 2024 alone, funds for Hessian universities will be reduced by 34 million Euros.
- Timon Gremmels, the Hessian Science Minister and SPD member, aims to provide more affordable living spaces for students in Kassel, collaborating with Building Minister Kaweh Mansoori.
- Gremmels emphasizes the importance of education in Hesse, emphasizing the need to encourage the Student Services, Counseling, and Internationalization of Universities.
- In his government statement in Wiesbaden, Gremmels stresses the need to combat extremism with scientific means and protect democracy, considering culture and science as essential elements.
- Regarding the antisemitism debate surrounding documenta 15 in Kassel, Gremmels, a native of the city, promises to restore its reputation and make documenta 16 a role model.
- Despite criticism from the opposition, such as the Green Party's Nina Eisenhardt and the AfD's Frank Grobe, FDP parliamentarian Matthias Büger insists on the importance of scientific freedom, which is a cornerstone of democracy.
- Despite the cuts, amounting to 34 million Euros in funding for Hessian universities in 2024, the black-red state government is criticized for lacking a strategy to protect and preserve scientific freedom.
