Weserburg complains against Bremen: Millions of modern art are missing!

Weserburg complains against Bremen: Millions of modern art are missing!

Bremen, Deutschland - in Bremen is a bitter argument between the Weserburg, the renowned Museum of Modern Art, and the city of Bremen. The Weserburg filed a lawsuit against the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen at the end of May because it lacks the financial means to maintain the museum company. The requirement? About 1.2 million euros more every year to actually secure the contractually agreed financing. The current donation contribution is 1.7 million euros and is far from sufficient for an exhibition area of ​​almost 5000 square meters, as museum director Janneke de Vries complains. The lawsuit was confirmed both by the museum management and the cultural senate, and it is not only pointed out to the financial hardship, but also to the years of neglect of this contractual obligation that has led to structural underfunding.

The Weserburg vehemently argues that the city has not fulfilled its duty for decades. In order to be able to shape the operation "adequate" and to receive the full grant of around 2.9 million euros a year, you brought the city to court. In such cases, the term "adequate" is often stretchy, which the cultural authority also confirms. However, this did not comment on the current procedure, but is delighted that the dispute is now clarified in court, as butenunbinnen.de.

financing problems and historical backgrounds

The city of Bremen considers the corresponding contract text to be "stretchy", which further fuels the conflict. Underfinancing has been a well -known problem for decades, which even led to parts of the collection in 2010 to pay debts and to set up a construction fund for longed -for modernizations. The means of sales have meanwhile been used up, and the city has rejected a pre -financing agreement since February 2025 - without giving it up that it would like to continue to offer discussions. The dispute could therefore take longer, which could strongly influence the cultural landscape of Bremen.

The Weserburg offered to temporarily provide funds from the construction fund to give the city time, but the talks were simply discontinued after one and a half years. Over 2 million euros from the construction fund were taken for other purposes, and the city remained a reimbursement of these funds without any reaction on the part of the city. In an agreement, the city voted in an agreement in 2023 with the cultural deputation for an economic plan to clarify the necessary donation contribution. But what follows remains uncertain.

The role of cultural promotion

In another context, promoting cultural institutions is also an important topic at nationwide level. The federal cultural foundation has launched programs that are intended to support such institutions. From 2024 to 2027, a total of 4.6 million euros are available, including up to 50 cultural institutions in Germany, which are looking for new ideas or structures. This also includes consultations and networking offers that may be of interest to facilities such as the Weserburg. Information on these programs can be read at museumsbund.de. So it remains exciting how the situation of the Weserburg and the relationship with the city of Bremen will develop. It is currently stated that the city does not comply with its contractual obligations, and the court should now decide how to proceed. The future of the Weserburg depends not only on the financial support of the city, but also on a cultural understanding that recognizes the value of such institutions for society.