50+ Düsseldorf and Cologne Galleries Condemn AfD Over Beuys References

More than 50 galleries across Düsseldorf and Cologne have signed a letter condemning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's Düsseldorf faction for allegedly referencing postwar conceptual artist and political activist Joseph Beuys and poet Heinrich Heine in promotional material for a cultural policy event.

The event, titled "Cultural Policy From the Right," is scheduled to take place in Düsseldorf on Monday, October 26. Its program consists of a walking tour of the city's arts and cultural venues, followed by a topical lecture from the party's Bundestag member Matthias Helferich.

Hyperallergic has contacted several signatories and was not able to independently confirm any mention of Beuys on the AfD or AfD Düsseldorf websites.

Who is Matthias Helferich?

Helferich is considered one of the more radical members of the party. Elected to the Bundestag in 2021, he was temporarily expelled from the AfD's North Rhine-Westphalia state branch in 2025 after leaked chats showed that he described himself as "the friendly face of the Nazis" and said he wanted to play as "democratic Freisler" — a reference to Nazi judge Roland Freisler, known for his abusive courtroom conduct and for imposing the death penalty on thousands, including juveniles. Helferich claimed those descriptions parodied his left-wing online critics.

Helferich was also accused of dehumanizing immigrants over an Instagram story. He posted a rear-view mirror decoration with a sentence roughly translating to "get those creatures out" and added the tag #remigration — the term for the mass deportation of migrants, listed as one of the key AfD policies on the party's website. His expulsion from the party was ultimately overturned in June 2026.

What do the galleries say?

The co-signed letter, posted publicly, defends the character of the city against the party's claims on cultural ground.

"Düsseldorf is a city whose cultural identity is characterized by openness, internationality, plurality, and the free exchange of diverse perspectives," a section of the letter reads. "Art emerges where boundaries are questioned and where people engage in dialogue regardless of origin, religion, skin color, gender, or political stance."

What does this change for Beuys's legacy?

For the galleries, the dispute is not only about one event. Joseph Beuys, who taught in Düsseldorf and shaped postwar German art, built his practice on ideas of social sculpture, dialogue and direct democracy — positions the signatories clearly see as incompatible with the AfD's program. The open letter converts that conviction into a public, collective refusal, and it puts more than 50 commercial galleries on record before the October 26 event takes place.

Whether the party responds, or adjusts its promotional material before Monday's walking tour, remains to be seen.