Cultural work at BASF began in a time of crisis: the end of the war, inflation, political unrest, all of this prompted the company’s cultural committee to bring people together with concerts from 1921, according to Karin Heyl, Head of Social Engagement at the chemical company.
eventful past
The aim was to offer consolation, because two months before the start of the cultural work there had been a large explosion in the plant, killing over 560 people. Therefore, since then in „Feierabendhaus“ in Ludwigshafen music and cultural events. The name goes back to the Nazi organization “Strength through Joy”.
Because of this instrumentalization of culture and cultural promotion under the Nazis, coming to terms with it is also an important point today, says Heyl — with the central question: “What does that mean for us today?”
Exchange is now the focus
At that time people paid homage to the “light muse”, performed composers who were classified as “Germanic” – the culture was brought into line. Karin Heyl thinks that today people want to give space to the many effects of culture and to exchange ideas about existential questions.
With the new project “Tor 4” they want to do the same – to enable encounters between people with different life experiences. According to Heyl, regional cultural workers and organizations can apply for the funding program, and in 2021 the main question is “how is the new we going?”
Funding is particularly important in Corona times
Because of Corona, all anniversary celebrations have had to be canceled in the meantime. “But we will catch up on what is possible,” says Karin Heyl, “for example the festival concert with the German State Philharmonic Orchestra of Rhineland-Palatinate in the Feierabendhaus”. With regard to the worsening pandemic, Heyl said: “We stand by our funding commitments and we will also support the institutions with special projects for and in Corona times.”
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