Most recent articles by Marian Brehmer
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Oriental Music Festival in GermanyThe Silenced Sounds of Baghdad
Osnabrück's Morgenland Festival in Germany has been setting standards in the eastern music world since 2005. This year, the event focused on Baghdad, once the cradle of Oriental cultural life. Marian Brehmer reports
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Interview with the Kurdish Singer Aynur DoganResisting the Wind
Aynur Dogan sings in Turkish and Kurdish, the political tone of her songs is deliberately provocative. Her last album "Rewend" focuses on itinerancy and connection to the homeland. Marian Brehmer spoke to her
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Interview with Youssra El HawaryMusic of a Quiet Revolution
In the wake of Egypt's Revolution, Youssra El Hawary suddenly came to fame with her song about a wall, "El Soor". Despite her insistence that she is non-political, her music is – in a quiet and unobtrusive way – unique and revolutionary. Marian Brehmer met the artist in Berlin
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Images of Iran in the WestUnpicking the Negatives
A German, an exiled Iranian and a Persian singer – at the "Bliss Festival", the clichés are roundly challenged and turned on their heads. If we look beyond the stereotypical images of Iran, we find a culture that has the power to touch our hearts. By Marian Brehmer
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Protests against Construction Projects in IstanbulA Government Addicted to Superlatives
The unrest in Istanbul is not only an expression of resistance to a misguided urban development policy, it is also a protest against a government that seems to be determined to construct monuments to itself. By Marian Brehmer
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The Documentary Film ''In the Bazaar of Sexes''Temporary Marriage in Iran
The phenomenon of temporary marriage in the Islamic Republic of Iran is explored in the documentary In the Bazaar of Sexes. The film's female director, Sudabeh Morterzai, gives viewers a rare insight into a very complex society. Marian Brehmer watched the film
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The Israeli NGO ''Breaking the Silence''Former Soliders Criticizing Practices of the Israeli Military
The Israeli NGO "Breaking the Silence" shows the excesses of the Israeli army in the Palestinian territories. The activists are not pro-Palestine activists, but former Israeli army soldiers
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Nusrat Fateh Ali KhanThe Voice of Unity
On the 15th anniversary of the death of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the world can look back on an extraordinary musician. The "King of Qawwali" was a source of light in the often dark history of Pakistan. By Marian Brehmer
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The Iranian-Israeli Circle''We Should Hate Each Other''
Israeli and Iranian students in Berlin have forged an anti-war alliance to express their opposition to war, sanctions and occupation. They regard the nuclear conflict between their two countries as an artificially created issue that serves to keep both governments in power. By Marian Brehmer
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The 13th Sufi Soul FestivalThe Musical Path to Allah
Once a year, on the last weekend before Ramadan, a hotel in a village in north-western Germany plays host to the "Sufi Soul Festival". Anyone who is interested is welcome to come and sample a wide variety of music genres: from hard rock to ballads and from Pakistani folk to Arab a-cappella. Marian Brehmer visited the festival in the Eifel region
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The Documentary ''Generation Kunduz''The War of the Others
"Generation Kunduz" is a documentary film that portrays the stark reality of life for people in the province of Kunduz. "I did the most banal thing there is," says director Martin Gerner on the subject of his film. "I went to the people." A review by Marian Brehmer
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The ''Roads of Arabia'' Exhibition at the Museum of Islamic ArtSaudi Arabia's Surprising Treasures
The exhibition ‘Roads of Arabia’, at the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin, showcases Saudi Arabia's archaeological heritage. The collection contains surprising treasures and shows a desert kingdom in transition. By Marian Brehmer