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The mood in Tunisia is charged, but positive we are told by Dagmar Junghänel, who experienced the overthrow along with the other staff at the Goethe-Institut on site. In this interview, the director of the institute reports about the dramatic weeks.

News of the Jasmine Revolution caught us in Germany very much by surprise. You, too?

Yes. In particular that the president let himself be chased out of the country so quickly; no one reckoned with that. Of course, we knew that the political system was very restrictive and that there was a great deal of discontent, and we observed how the uprisings that broke out in December were becoming increasingly intense. But that Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali would take to his heels after such a short time even caught our Tunisian partners unawares.

The unrest was triggered by the self-immolation of a protester. What were the root causes?

The situation in Tunisia has always been very ambivalent: On one side it was a tourism destination that economically prospered, had a good educational system and a very large middle class, on the other it was a politically highly restrictive system with no freedom of the press in which the president’s family was amassing more and more wealth. The dissatisfaction of young people in particular had become increasingly perceptible in recent years. Now, over the past few days we have been able to experience how great the fury against the president’s family actually was in the country. After his getaway many of the supermarkets, buildings and banks that belonged to his clan were destroyed.

Did the political system also impede your work to a great extent?

Work in Tunisia has always been different than at institutes in democratic nations. We had to have all of our projects rubber-stamped by the so-called censor or “orientation” office. Yet, we almost always were able to address even very critical projects and topics. For example, two years ago we showed the Stasi film The Lives of Others here and even very critical young people’s plays. During the Germany Weeks last year we also dealt with the topic of “Youth and the Future” – so exactly what is now the subject of the revolution.

Many now speculate that the Jasmine Revolution will be the beginning of a conflagration in the Arab world.

I think the situation in Tunisia is a unique one – if only because of the peoples’ high educational level and the large middle class, which supported the revolution. The illiteracy rate is very low, many Tunisians are well educated, have gone to university or lived abroad. Whether and the extent to which the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia will influence other countries in the Arab world can only be speculated at present.

How did you personally experience the past weeks?

I myself wasn’t caught in the crossfire. The same applies to all of the staff at the Goethe-Institut and my friends, luckily. But, of course we were aware of the situation coming to a head. We heard shots very close by.

Were you frightened?

We were alarmed. We formed telephone chains and kept in touch with one another constantly via mobile and email. Many of us took in friends and co-workers for a time who lived in areas where there was more shooting.

Were you prepared for such crises?

To be perfectly honest, when I transferred to Tunisia no one really would have dreamed that I was moving to a conflict region. It caught us all by surprise.

What effect did the conditions on the streets have on your work?

At the beginning, when we could hear the first demonstrations, we continued to work. But, when the situation became acute, we ceased our language courses and ultimately shut down the entire institute. After all, the Goethe-Institut is located not far from the centre where the big demonstrations were announced.

And what is the situation like right now?

We began working again on 18 January, but only for a few hours each morning. The security conditions have improved in the meantime. It’s really remarkable how quickly public life regained stability and that basic services are ensured. The people are tremendously proud and happy that they achieved so much in such a short time.

You’re saying the mood in the country is good?

Naturally, the situation the Tunisian people now face is an incredibly difficult one. No one knows what will happen next. But, I’ve talked to many, many people and got the impression that fears for the future are outweighed by relief, joy and pride. The first day when the people started leaving their houses again was a very positive experience.

Has the new freedom become noticeable in everyday life?

Yes. People all over are debating publicly – even controversially. In addition, a number of European newspapers have appeared over the past few days that could not be sold before. And a bookseller told me that all of her books that used to be on the index were allowed back on the shelves.



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