MIKK SALU ⟩ The Academy of Arts is finally «judenfrei»

The building of the Estonian Academy of Arts. Photo: Mihkel Maripuu

The decision of the Estonian Academy of Arts to end cooperation with Israel is appalling. Rector Mart Kalm's reasons for this step are simply embarrassing.

If the rector of the Academy of Arts, Mart Kalm, goes down in history for nothing else, it will be for the fact that during his time the process began (or perhaps has already succeeded) to make the Academy of Arts free of Jews. At one time, the semiotician Juri Lotman fled from Leningrad to Estonia because Lotman as a person, like his science, was too «cosmopolitan». In 2024, a counter-movement has been launched in the Republic of Estonia, which is euphemistically being called the termination of cooperation with Israeli universities.

Tallinn-born Alfred Rosenberg would be proud right now.

Born in Tallinn, Alfred Rosenberg, head of the Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories of Nazi Germany, would be proud right now. Among other tasks, Rosenberg's area of interest was Jewish culture and art, its study and, of course, destruction. The organization named after him, Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg, collected Jewish art. Which in practice meant looting, stealing, destroying and burning (more useful stuff was, of course, also set aside). Who needs this Jewish art anyway, Rosenberg asked.

If Eesti Ekspress is to be believed, the decision was not made by Rector Kalm personally, but rather by cooperation between different departments, and «it is clear that the management must gauge the mood».

This is a classic defense that was frequently heard both in Nuremberg and, for example, at the trial of Holocaust mastermind Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem. «What, me?»; «I was only following orders»; «Such were the times»; «The mood was like that». Hopefully, Kalm will provide more detailed explanations in the coming days, because the initial comments resemble cowardly conjunctivism. If you do something, don't deny it. Some vague talk that other European universities are doing the same thing and that the cooperation partners in Israel understand the decision of the Academy of Arts. Embarrassing!

The anti-Israeli turn initiated this spring by then prime minister Kaja Kallas (Reform Party) and Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna (Estonia 200) has reached its next stage with the decision of the Academy of Arts. Even if direct causality cannot be drawn between the spring decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the current move made by the Academy of Arts, it can be indirectly. The Kallas-Tsahkna turn against Israel also legitimizes and empowers the actions of the lower-level führers. The Academy of Arts is one such example.

The decision of the Academy of Arts to end cooperation with Israel, however, stems directly from BDS ideology. It is no exaggeration to say that this is an anti-Semitic move.

If someone starts claiming here that it's not about Jews, but about Israel, then that person is stupid or malicious, because there is no practical difference. Pogroms in Amsterdam, burning of synagogues in Australia, persecution of Jews (faculty and students) in European and American universities is getting worse. Anti-Israelism is growing into anti-Semitism by itself. The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which leads boycotts and non-cooperation with Israel, was founded 23 years ago, it has no connection with the current Israeli government or the war in Gaza. Their goal is clearly the destruction of the state of Israel, and although they do not explicitly say that the goal also is the destruction of Jews, in real life the Jews, or at least the majority of them, would disappear along with the state of Israel. The decision of the Academy of Arts to end cooperation with Israel, however, stems directly from BDS ideology. It is no exaggeration to say that this is an anti-Semitic move.

Rector of the Estonian Academy of Arts Mart Kalm. Photo: Photo: Mailiis Ollino

How should Estonian society and the political elite react to anti-Semitism at the Academy of Arts? Of course, some will support it, or if they don't, they will remain silent, because who wants to get involved in an unpleasant dispute? Someone will definitely start talking about academic freedom (although, on reflection, the Estonian taxpayer and the Riigikogu, which represents taxpayers, are also free to decide which universities to allocate money to and how much). Hopefully, there will also be those brave and principled people who see the horrible path that Rector Kalm and the Academy of Arts have decided to take. We must not remain silent.