Erlangen presents song list for the Bergkirchweih – Dispute over recommendation, impact, and limits

The city of Erlangen has provided the hosts of the Bergkirchweih with an overview of songs that, according to the city, "should have no place" there. The administration justifies this with the aim of pushing back sexist, discriminatory, or otherwise misanthropic content at the folk festival. At the same time, the city emphasizes that this is not a formal ban, but rather a sensitization and orientation for operators and music programs.

Thus, the focus is less on a single song and more on the question of how far municipal control can go at a traditional but city-shaped folk festival – and at what point a recommendation effectively becomes a directive.

What the list is about – and which titles are mentioned

According to sources close to the debate, the Bergkirchweih list consists of twelve songs that "preferably" should not be played. Among those mentioned in this context are:

• Geh mal Bier holen (Go Get Some Beer)
• Skandal im Sperrbezirk (Scandal in the Restricted Zone)
• Joana
• 20 Zentimeter (20 Centimeters)

For "Joana," a specific reason is cited: problematic interjections. The name "Joana" is sometimes answered by the audience with the shout "Du geile Sau" (You sexy pig). The city is thus not arguing abstractly about art or taste, but about the expected dynamics at a festival where alcohol, peer pressure, and group singing are part of the setting – and where the boundaries between "party mood" and degrading remarks can quickly shift.

Criticism from the music industry: "List" as a signal – and as interference

There is resistance from the music scene because the measure is seen as the beginning of municipal influence over stage programs. Jürgen Thürnau, manager of the Spider Murphy Gang, fundamentally criticized the idea of a song list and complained that, in his view, there was no comprehensible justification. Singer Peter Wackel also expressed displeasure and described the development at the Bergkirchweih as increasingly regulated.

The escalation contains a real conflict: Folk festivals thrive on rituals, recognition, and "cult hits" – but these very routines can also provide a stage for sexist or derogatory chants to be trivialized as harmless customs. The city is clearly aiming to reduce this risk preventively; critics fear a creeping restriction of what may be played at festivals.

The political framework: City council resolution and contractual guidelines

The political reference point is not just the current letter, but a city council resolution from 2021. At that time, a contractual regulation was established for the Bergkirchweih that excludes the so-called Donaulied in all versions and, beyond that, does not allow songs with references to violence or "group-related misanthropy."

Thus, the current debate is not just day-to-day politics, but part of a line that the city council set years ago: The city wants to address rules not only when a scandal occurs, but in advance through contracts, guidelines, and expectation management.

Recommendation or de facto directive? The decisive question is enforcement

The city presents the list as a recommendation for action. Formally, this is an important distinction: A recommendation is not an administrative act and does not replace a legal prohibition. Politically and practically, however, the question of power remains: At the Bergkirchweih, the city is not just a commentator, but in many cases the landlord or central framework setter – those who operate on city-organized grounds are unlikely to treat the municipality's advice as a non-binding brochure.

It is precisely this constellation that fuels the dispute. Critics already perceive the existence of an "undesirable" song list as a means of pressure, even if sanctions are not explicitly mentioned. The city, on the other hand, can argue that it is jointly responsible for safety, atmosphere, and non-discrimination – and that a folk festival is not a lawless space for misconduct just because such things have been "tradition" for years.

The context: Erlangen has been sending a clear signal against racism and exclusion for years

It is not new that Erlangen is publicly addressing this issue. After an incident involving racist content, the city and the Foreigners' and Integration Advisory Council emphasized in a joint statement in 2024 that xenophobia and racism have no place at the Bergkirchweih; at the same time, it was highlighted when hosts jointly take a stand against such content.

The current song list thus fits into an approach that aims less at subsequent outrage and more at proactive control: Rules, expectations, and boundaries should be clearer before the festival than after.

What remains: Culture war reflexes help little – what matters is transparency

The conflict cannot be seriously reduced to "censorship" versus "everything must be allowed." What matters is how transparently the city of Erlangen describes criteria, responsibilities, and consequences: Who evaluates by what standards? Is the list just a hint or does it become part of contractual obligations? And is there a procedure for hosts, bands, or those affected to raise objections?

As long as these points remain open, the debate will continue – not just about which songs "fit," but about how binding municipal "sensitization" really is in the reality of a city-framed folk festival.