We commemorate our neighbour, artist, philosopher, philanthropist and activist Rudolf zur Lippe.

We got to know and appreciate Rudolf zur Lippe, emeritus professor of philosophy, artist and philanthropist, first through his paintings in the Werkstatt Gallery and later through his incredible Schöneberg district project “Beauty against Violence”: With baroque opera music by Handel and Purcell, he, together with the gallery and the “Stiftung Forum der Kulturen” Foundation, succeeded in counteracting the criminal activities of a gang, who in recent years have made “our” place at the corner of Eisenacher Strasse and Fuggerstrasse impassable for residents, with a positive energy of the most beautiful kind, namely through art and music.

So this summer already in the second year there was a small, fine open-air concert on a stage in the middle of “our” square, with first-class singers, a baroque ensemble with original instruments and with oversized picture projections of art paintings on the house walls. Neighbours put candles in their windows for the concert and could experience an exciting, relaxed, enjoyable summer evening full of art and harmony on their balconies and on folding chairs on the square together with surprised neighborhood visitors. One hardly recognized his neighborhood, but imagined himself somewhere in the middle of Italy. In fact, since then, at least during the day, the square has been freed from an evil spell and used more and more by residents and neighborhood visitors, who make themselves at home on the benches in the summer sun. What a beautiful and unusual initiative. This says a lot about Rudolf zur Lippe and his personality, hence the exact description of these events.

Rudolf zur Lippe died on September 6th, 2019. We will gladly remember him as an elegant, art-savvy, lovable neighbour and artist who has done much for this quarter, and with the “Stiftung Forum der Kulturen” (as a founding member) far beyond that.

Berlin, September 9th, 2019
Carl D. Erling

Postscript: One has the impression that many people in the neighbourhood agree that they want to do more to preserve the special quality of life in this quarter, which has been painstakingly achieved, in their own way and with their own possibilities: We, Kiezcare, want to introduce web programming and prevention ideas, private gardeners beautify the flowerbeds in the streets, others, such as our newspaper kiosk, collect garbage, hosts like the Blond or the Café Romeo light up their windows, the workshop gallery recently held a court festival for artists and neighbors - and Rudolf zur Lippe came up with the grand idea for a classical music concert in the middle of the neighbourhood.