The Düsseldorf carnivalist and satirist Jacques Tilly has a special birthday present for Vladimir Putin: Just in time for the Kremlin chief's 74th birthday, the carnival float manufacturer is publishing an illustrated book in which an extra section is dedicated to his motto floats that are critical of Putin. Tilly, who was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison in absentia by a Moscow court six months ago, has a message for the president: “We will of course continue on our course, and of course we will continue to criticize the Russian regime.”
Tilly and the editor Eva Creutz presented the illustrated book “Who’s Afraid of Paper Mache?” in Düsseldorf. before. The book is officially published on Wednesday (October 7th), Putin's birthday. But that is a coincidence, they assure you.
“The concentrated harshness of an authoritarian state power was used against foolish cardboard figures,” writes Tilly in an afterword. “The trial impressively proves that satire can actually hurt the powerful in the world, that satire is capable of frightening despots and autocrats (...). They are afraid that they will be portrayed as what they are: ridiculous sausages suffering from megalomania."
In the criminal proceedings, the Moscow judiciary accused Tilly of, among other things, defaming the Russian army and hurting religious feelings. Since 2009, Tilly has been commenting on Putin's politics with his biting, satirical motto cars. Among the most famous are the Kremlin chief bathing in a tub filled with blood - an allusion to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. On another car, Putin in uniform and the Orthodox Patriarch Kirill kneeling in front of him could be seen performing oral sex.
Even though almost all of the theme floats are traditionally destroyed after the Rose Monday parades, the images went around the world. “This is obviously an art form that is understood worldwide and has an impact,” says Tilly with satisfaction.
According to the 63-year-old, he was neither officially informed of the charges and the trial by the Russian side, nor did he ever receive a written verdict. «Russia is an unjust state. It's an unfair system, it's an unfair judgment, and I'm just staying out of it as much as I can."
Nevertheless, the procedure left its mark on 63-year-old Tilly. “So, it doesn’t feel good to be condemned by Moscow.” The judgment is like a sword of Damocles hovering over you. But he will not break out into paranoia now, but will enjoy life with all the joy of life together with his wife.
In any case, he won't let himself be intimidated, says Tilly. “If we are intimidated, then they have achieved their goal, and I don’t want that.” He tries to be as unimpressed as possible. And at the same time admits: “It doesn’t always work, you have to admit.” The only positive thing he could get out of the process was “that you can just see that satire hurts.”
Fortunately, he is not exposed to any specific threats, says Tilly. There is more of an abstract threat situation. He had discussions with the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the State Security and the police. “I’m not on any blacklists.” He also experienced a lot of solidarity from politicians, but above all from many citizens and of course from his team.
Tilly is concerned about the recent warning from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Federal Intelligence Service that Russia is waging a shadow war against Germany. It was emphasized how threatening the situation was and that it was continuing to escalate and that ever tougher measures could be expected from the Russian side against Germany. “And that doesn’t mean anything good for any of us here, not even at Carnival.”
Tilly said he could no longer travel to some countries because of the risk of possible extradition to Russia. But ultimately this is a luxury problem for the people who are really at the mercy of the Russian justice system. “I can still live freely, I can work freely.”
Incidentally, Tilly is not yet revealing whether and how he will target Putin at the next Rose Monday parade. "I don't know at all yet, it's still far too early to worry about the political wagons."
