Overview
- Berlin’s culture administration removed State Secretary Oliver Friederici on Tuesday, citing a draft state audit report on disputed grants for antisemitism projects.
- Retired senior official Alexander Straßmeir will take over on Friday to rebuild the grant process under the audit office’s guidance.
- The fight centers on 2025 payouts from a fund for “projects of special political significance,” with roughly €3–€3.4 million in contested decisions and reports of up to €8 million at issue, and critics say the administration skipped content reviews, sidelined a jury, and waived the usual 10% co‑funding without solid case files.
- Scrutiny is mounting as the state audit office prepares to publish its findings this week and a Berlin House inquiry, created in December, continues to examine whether CDU pressure bent budget rules.
- Reactions hardened after the removal as Friederici said he followed the law, Greens and Left called the move scapegoating, SPD’s Steffen Krach sought answers from Mayor Kai Wegner, and committee files indicate Friederici had warned against approvals without full checks.