"Shame on exclusion!"
In a commemorative event slated for July 26, 2025, the city of Tübingen will honour the life and work of human rights activist Ruth Weiss on her 101st birthday. The event, which will take place at the MUSEUM cinema, will feature an exhibition titled "Adaptations with East Asian ink" by artist René Böll, and will be open from 9 am to 7 pm.
The exhibition combines East Asian aesthetics with literary references to Friedrich Hölderlin, classical Chinese poetry, Heinrich Böll, and Ruth Weiss herself. Special guests at the event include former Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir and Tübingen's Mayor Boris Palmer.
Ruth Weiss, born on July 26, 1920 in Denmark, escaped persecution in Nazi Germany and fled to South Africa at the age of 12. Her courageous life is chronicled in her autobiography "Paths in Hard Grass." She worked as a journalist in Zambia from 1971 and in Zimbabwe from 1980, after becoming homeless in South Africa.
Her work against injustice led to her losing her residence permit in apartheid South Africa in 1966. However, she could only visit South Africa again after 1990, following the release of Nelson Mandela. Ruth Weiss served as the head of the Africa department at Deutsche Welle in Cologne and was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class in 2014.
The Ruth Weiss Society, established to promote tolerance and fight against racism, continues her legacy. A secondary school in Aschaffenburg was named after Ruth Weiss in 2010. South African Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer described Ruth Weiss as "the warmest and most compassionate person" she had ever met.
The event will also be available for viewing from July 28 to August 3, 2025, at the Westspitze Innovation Centre in Tübingen. The exhibition named "Man Needs Freedom!" created by René Boll, son of Heinrich Boll, will also be held during this period. Participation is free, but registration is required by July 21, 2025. The event can also be followed online.
Ruth Weiss met the speaker Cem Özdemir in 2005 during a school reading in Münster. The commemorative event took place for the first time in 2023 and has since become a yearly tradition in Tübingen. This year's event promises to be a fitting tribute to a woman who dedicated her life to fighting for justice and equality.
- The event at the MUSEUM cinema on July 26, 2025, showcases an exhibition titled "Adaptations with East Asian ink" by artist René Böll, merging East Asian aesthetics with literary references to Friedrich Hölderlin, classical Chinese poetry, Heinrich Böll, and Ruth Weiss herself.
- The Rhein-Neckar-kreis will honor the legacy of Ruth Weiss, a diligent human rights activist, on her 101st birthday through an event that includes an exhibition.
- Participation in the event, which takes place at the Westspitze Innovation Centre from July 28 to August 3, 2025, is free but requires registration by July 21, 2025, offering both in-person and online viewing options.
- Ruth Weiss's life and work are celebrated by fans across various platforms, particularly on social media, where her story continues to inspire discussion on home-and-garden, outdoor-living, lifestyle, pop-culture, entertainment, and sports, including football and sports-betting, especially within European leagues such as Laliga.
- Ruth Weiss, an esteemed social figure, has been an inspiration for books, and her autobiography, "Paths in Hard Grass," provides a captivating account of her courageous journey against injustice and persecution.
- Celebrities and public figures alike pay tribute to Ruth Weiss's impact on society, showcasing her influence in various spheres, from literature and journalism to politics and activism, embodying the ideals of freedom, justice, and equality.
- Ruth Weiss's life story underscores the importance of resilience and perseverance, demonstrating how one person can create a lasting impact on the lives of many and inspire future generations to carry on her legacy, reminding us that every individual can contribute to positive change in their local communities and beyond.