Amid criticism, the “Till Fest,” organized by Rammstein singer Till Lindemann (63), has kicked off in Leipzig. The event is a two-day open-air festival featuring several bands, with Lindemann as the headliner. The fact that the “Till Fest” is taking place at the Monument to the Battle of the Nations had sparked criticism in the run-up to the event. On the first evening, according to a dpa photographer, there were no major protests at the concert venue.
Anselm Hartinger, chairman of the Battle of the Nations Monument Foundation, had told the “Leipziger Volkszeitung” that Lindemann’s aggressive demeanor was not appropriate for a sensitive site like the Battle of the Nations Monument. The foundation is not concerned with “cancel culture,” but rather with its goal of “removing this Leipzig landmark—associated with memories of war and suffering—from the context of violence in which it has repeatedly been used throughout history.” A local resident had launched a petition against the festival.