Green light for reform of the Prussian Foundation

The most important and largest cultural institution in Germany should become more modern: The Bundestag decided at the last second the long -planned law on the reform of the Prussian Cultural Ownership Foundation (SPK). In the middle of the night from Thursday to Friday, the SPD, CDU/CSU, Greens and FDP voted for the project after it initially looked as if the farewell failed at the traffic light.

The institutions of the foundation are to be significantly strengthened with the reform and get more independence, for example through their own budgets for the museums. So far, the foundation has not been competitive and internationally not competitive. The proposal of the Science Council, which recommended the destruction of the institution in an expert opinion in 2020, has long been off the table.

In addition to the Berlin State Library and several institutes, the foundation born by the federal government and all countries includes the state museums in Berlin with 15 collections and 4.7 million objects at 19 locations. These include world -famous museums such as the Gemäldegalerie, the new National Gallery and the Pergamon Museum. The amendment takes the place of the previous law from 1957. It is scheduled to come into force on December 1st.

Collegial organ instead of sole tour of the president

In the future, the foundation should no longer be managed solely by a president, but up to seven members from a collegial board. This collegial organ is a “contemporary model”, said the designated SPK President Marion Ackermann, who is at the head of the foundation from June and Herrmann Parzinger replaces. For them it is the “biggest gift that there is now this secured basis on which we can now build up.”

The office is also limited in time, as well as other management positions, such as museum management. “Verems will be the exception,” says a message from the SPK.

Almost even more important: the board of trustees with members from the federal and state governments are reduced from 20 to nine. The countries, each with comparatively little money, send seven members rotating, and Berlin remains a constant member as the seating country of the foundation. The CDU prevailed with the wish that four members of the Bundestag will take part in the Foundation Council meetings in the future, with a “advisory voice”.

The foundation advisory board is also internationalized, and foreign experts are also to be included. The law also expressly states that the SPK can be added to the SPK “foundations of private law”: It has long been mentioned that the Humboldt Forum should be integrated into the SPK.

However, the reform changes little or nothing at the SPK underfunding with around 2,000 employees, despite a slight increase in the base amount of a good 134 million euros at the beginning of the year. Compared to similar institutions – for comparison, the Smithsonian Institute in Washington ($ 900 million annual budget) is used – the Prussian foundation is still only modestly equipped with a total budget of over 400 million.

Minister of Culture Claudia Roth (Greens) nevertheless said that the reform was “now very well positioned for the future”. The foundation could “bring the whole potential of its outstanding collections even more successfully”. SPK President Parzinger emphasized: “We are becoming more modern, efficient, more synergetic and faster.”