Kulturleichen

14:58 Dec 7, 2012 

Yes, it's difficult to get the balance right on this site. I agree with your final point - these poor youngsters have had a raw deal from the opera buffs at City Hall. 'The Forgotten Ones' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Olvidados

14:53 Dec 7, 2012 

Neither "Kultur", nor "Leiche" should be overly analyzed. The artificial word "Kulturleiche" has most likely derived from Karteileiche, which is an interesting concoction by itself, most likely during the 70s, the age of the Spontisprüche and Demos. Nobody died. Even a Schnapsleiche hasn't died. He is just sleeping. "Kultur" in this context rather refers to the city's budget for cultural affairs.

14:27 Dec 7, 2012 

Definition of culture
noun
[mass noun]
1) the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively:
e.g. 20th century popular culture
a refined understanding or appreciation of culture:
men of culture
2) the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society:
e.g. Afro-Caribbean culture
http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/culture

14:15 Dec 7, 2012 

Doesn't mean that a corpse has been stuffed into the filing cabinet. Please do not take the word "Leiche" too literally. :-)

13:39 Dec 7, 2012 

Or maybe the supporters of the youth centre feel they have been Sacrificed on the altar of culture in the sense of opera, theatre and art exhibitions etc. This interpretation would retain the 'Leiche' reference, i.e. over our dead bodies.

11:59 Dec 7, 2012 

Googling the line on the banner / sign will lead you to articles about this particular demonstration. They are not defending some dead or soon to be extinct cultural facet, this is about the fact that the city refused to fork over a single penny for an autonomous youth center, while pampering "established arts" (opera, theater, art exhibitions, etc.). The kids feel neglected like unwanted stepchildren. They consider their youth center (probably with practice rooms for bands, workshops, small gigs by amateur musicians and whatnot - the typical equipment of any youth center during the late 70s/early 80s) a part of the city's culture too. Has nothing to do with death, remnant and decay.