2,327 signatures
Petition is addressed to: Stadt Köln
SAVE THE KMB!
Support the petition to preserve the Art and Museum Library of the City of Cologne (Kunst- und Museumsbibliothek, KMB).
Without an interim solution that ensures access to the collections and the prospect of long-term accommodation, the future of the library is acutely threatened.
We are therefore advocating for the preservation of the KMB as a publicly accessible institution and urgently and emphatically ask the political leaders and administration of the City of Cologne to work toward a permanent location on Leonhard-Tietz-Straße or at Sachsenring. In the interim, a solution must be found to house the collections of the main site, ensuring continued public access.
By signing this petition, you support the following urgent demands to the City of Cologne:
- A suitable interim solution for the main library location, ensuring both access to and the preservation of its collections until new premises are ready.
- A long-term solution to house the KMB in a facility that integrates its collections, reading rooms, administrative offices, and workshops.
In the interest of young and future generations and their right to comprehensive knowledge and education, we demand that Cologne’s Art and Museum Library remains publicly accessible and is preserved.
Reason
One of Germany's largest art libraries, particularly in the fields of modern and contemporary art, is at risk. The library is spread across several rented locations in Cologne, which must be regularly relocated when lease contracts expire. Currently, the closure of the main site at Kattenbug in the city center is imminent. Without an interim solution ensuring access to the collections and the prospect of long-term accommodation, the future of the library is critically endangered.
The KMB is a globally significant institution with over 550,000 volumes, offering a unique collection, particularly in modern and contemporary art. Alongside the leading art libraries in Berlin and Munich, it forms an indispensable resource of knowledge. The library is not only an open space for research and education but also a central part of Cologne's cultural identity. For the younger generation of researchers and artists, the KMB is an essential place for discovery, inspiration, and exchange.
The closure of the library would be an irreparably loss. It would mark a turning point for the cultural development of the city, a catastrophic precedent with far-reaching consequences. The books in the KMB are a central foundation for the future of art and culture in Cologne. As Umberto Eco writes, a library is "something alive, a space full of energy," and as such, it holds crucial societal relevance.
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Supporters include, among others:
- Gisela Capitain, Gallerist, Cologne
- Marcus Dekiert, Director Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Cologne
- Yilmaz Dziewior, Director Museum Ludwig, Cologne
- Maria Eichhorn, Artist, Berlin
- VALIE EXPORT, Artist, Vienna
- Andreas Gursky, Artist, Düsseldorf
- Petra Hesse, Director Museum of Applied Arts Cologne
- Walther König, Publisher and Bookseller, Cologne
- Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, Former Minister for Culture and Science NRW
- Gerhard Richter, Artist, Cologne
- Rosemarie Trockel, Artist, Cologne, Berlin
- Günter Wallraff, Journalist and Author, Cologne
- Christopher Williams, Artist, Cologne, Chicago, Los Angeles, professor at the Art Academy Düsseldorf
and many more.
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An appeal by the “Save the KMB!” Initiative
"Save the KMB!" is a citizens' initiative and the revival of the protests from 2013, led by young professionals. As a coalition of various stakeholders, it serves as the voice of a broad and diverse community.
Campaign Team: Jana Hecht, Helena Kuhlmann, Simone Schmahl, Thomas Spallek
More info: rettetdiekmb.de
Contact: info@rettetdiekmb.de
Instagram: @rettetdiekmb
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Petition started:
12/19/2024
Petition ends:
06/17/2025
Region:
Cologne
Topic:
Culture
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Why people sign
Ihr Bestand ist vor allem in Brzug auf die zeitgenössische deutsche Kunst beispiellos und in Köln und im weiteren Umkreis eine wichtige Quelle wissenschaftlicher Studien.
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Informationen gibt es viele ... das Internet ist voll davon. Wir benötigen aber mehr denn je öffentlich zugänglich gemachtes und durch Lektoren strukturiertes Wissen. Museen, Archive und Bibliotheken sind deshalb DIE "systemrelevanten" Infrastrukturen der Kultur.