Tuesday, April 15
Artists cancel concerts at Metropol over owner’s AfD ties
Is the owner of one of Berlin’s most prominent venues in an iconic LGBT neighbourhood a financial donor to the far-right AfD? That is the accusation being levelled at real estate mogul Henning Conle, owner of the building that houses the Schöneberg club Metropol on Nollendorfplatz. Conle has allegedly supported the AfD with a donation of €2.35 million.
The donation was reportedly made during the recent election campaign and, according to Der Spiegel, was funnelled to the far-right party through a “straw man donation” – where money is sent to a third party, in this case the Austrian former FPÖ politician Gerhard Dingler, to conceal the true source of the funds.
These allegations have already had consequences for Metropol, with artists cancelling their performances in protest against the AfD’s extremist views. Despite owning the building, Conle has no involvement in the day-to-day operations of the venue, which are managed by a separate company, Zarya International. The firm’s managing director, Beatrice Adasz, recently told Tagesspiegel that their values stand in stark contrast to those of their landlord:
“Our programme is diverse, queer-oriented, and anti-racist,” she said. “We distance ourselves from the policies of the AfD and stand clearly against racism, sexism, and homophobia.”
