BooksFilmandMusic

by Daniel Mallock, BookFolk

Why is it alright for a rock band to play a concert on the site of a
Nazi concentration camp called “Sajmiste” where over 47000 people, Jews,
Gypsies, and political prisoners were murdered?

Learn about Sajmiste here: Weisenthal Center

What has happened to western culture that such a desecration of a place
where so many innocents were killed can occur? Why is there no uproar
against the government of Serbia, and the local authorities of
Belgrade? Why is there no criticism of the band and its management?

This concert is not particularly well known, yet. Jerusalem Post is
covering this story here:
Jerusalem Post

The rock band in question is a UK synth-dance band reminiscent of Ace
of Base called “Kosheen”. This is bad enough, but why do the members of
this band think that playing a gig at a concentration camp will be good
for their careers? Yes, they’ll get negative press from folks like me,
and historians, and Jews all over the world, and folks in Israel, and
any reasonable person who understands history and appreciates the
sanctity and importance of places like Sajmiste. Concentration camps should
never be considered viable venues for commercial entertainments like
rock music or anything that would diminish the hallowed nature of those
places.

To me this is another example of the rolling desensitization of people
in the West. Some events change a place forever so that no matter what
you do there, what structure is placed there, or even what lies and
falsehoods people might say about what occurred there - the events have
left such an imprint that it can never be erased. Remember when some less
than brilliant entrepreneur wanted to build a disco on the ground of
Auschwitz? Auschwitz will forever be associated with the Concentration
camp of the same name, and Germany will forever be associated with the
crimes that German soldiers committed there and so many other places.
Can there be more a disgusting affront to the memory of those tens of
thousands who were murdered at that place? CNN covered this story at the
time here: CNN

To their credit, the authorities in Belgrade appear quite horrified and
disgusted by the concept of this concert occurring on this site of
mass murder. Sajmiste is one of the darkest places of the time of some of
the darkest deeds ever commited in human history. “‘It is awful that
such concerts are being held there, but the building was illegally sold’
by the capital’s previous authorities, said New Belgrade mayor Zeljko
Ozegovic. ‘We have been appealing the legality of the purchase for
years.’”

Other than money, what could be the benefit to Kosheen to perform at a
place were thousands were murdered? There is no discussion of Sajmiste
on the band’s eponymous web site, but there ought to be. Kosheen should
cancel this performance and tell their fans why. They should tell their
fans and people around the world who have never heard of them - but
suddenly will - that they are taking a moral and ethical stand; that they
refuse to desecrate a holy place by performing a dance music concert
on sacred ground where tens of thousands of innocents were murdered by the
Nazis and their stooges. They should tell the world that they distance
themselves from evil, hate, and have compassion for those less fortunate who
came before them murdered in the gas vans of Sajmiste. If they do these
things Kosheen will become famous across the world for taking a moral
position in a crass and shallow industry (pop music) and demonstrate to their fans
that music means more to them than a paycheck.

These places of death and murder and the utter corruption of society
and culture should be memorials to the victims who died there. These
places are hallowed places and ought not to be cheapened and demeaned by
being violated with loud synth pop concerts. These are special appalling
places that are shrines regardless if Kosheen knows it or not. Go there and
place a wreath of flowers at the entrance and say that you will not enter but
in mourning and appreciation to the victims of fascism and cruelty. If
the members of Kosheen do this, they will make news around the globe
and be true trend setters of culture and civility.

Kosheen writes in their website “Biography” that “Once in a while, a
band comes along that doesn’t just ignore the rule book, but rewrites it.
Since forming in the late 90’s, Kosheen have proved that success
doesn’t have to come on someone else’s terms.” Subtle? No. But is there any
truth in this glowing self-assessment?

Let’s see if they will ignore the “rule book” of their industry and
prove that they aren’t just another band built upon the terms of others.

Playing a gig at a concentration camp has nothing to do with music, it
has everything to do with money and money alone. Music ought to be about
more than just money. Music is supposed to stand for something, mean
something - something positive and life affirming. Sajmiste is hallowed
ground. What can be life affirming in disrespecting a place of mass
murder and evil? Nothing.

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