Big business on Sunday joined a growing chorus of criticism in Germany over the awarding of an annual music prize to a pair of rappers accused of anti-Semitic lyrics.
Airbus CEO Tom Enders added his condemnation of the decision, telling the Bild am Sonntag newspaper he was shocked by what he considered widespread ambivalence about the Echo award in the hip-hop/urban national category that was given to rappers Kollegah and Farid Bang on Thursday, ironically coinciding with Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel.
In their song "0815," the rappers talk about their bodies being "more defined than Auschwitz prisoners." Another line says, "I'm doing another Holocaust, coming with a Molotov."
"That hurts Germany's international reputation," Enders told the newspaper. "Is anti-Semitism becoming acceptable in Germany?"
Enders added that it was his belief that an anti-Muslim text would have generated far more outrage.
The BVMI German music industry association has drawn increasing criticism in recent days for honoring the rappers' album, which has sold more than 200,000 copies despite containing lyrics considered offensive by many Jewish groups and others.
Charlotte Knobloch, former head of the Central Council of Jews, said Friday the award was a "devastating sign" amid growing signs of "anti-Semitism in our society, especially in schools."
She said the two rappers "reach millions of mostly young people with their inhuman message."
The controversy comes against a backdrop of growing concern over rising anti-Semitism in Germany and amid several high-profile cases in which even young children were subjected to anti-Semitic harassment.
Germany recently appointed Felix Klein to serve as the government's first commissioner to oversee the issue.
The BVMI group initially defended its decision, saying the award recognizes sales, not quality.
But group chief Florian Druecke told the RND newspaper chain on Sunday that the Echo prize would be overhauled in light of the protests. He insisted that the association rejects all forms of anti-Semitism, xenophobia, sexism, homophobia and the glorification of violence.
Druecke said that organizers would reconsider both the nomination and award selection process, but gave no further details.
German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told Der Spiegel magazine on Saturday that "anti-Semitic provocations do not deserve a prize; they are repugnant."
Christian and Jewish leaders have also been critical of the award.
Jewish comedian Oliver Polak criticized the award in an essay published by the German newspaper Die Welt, saying such texts "are the reason that young Jewish people are chased around and beaten up in schoolyards."
Both rappers have said they reject anti-Semitism and defended the line as artistic freedom and not political opinion. Kollegah, 33, has the real name of Felix Blume. Farid Bang is 31.
