Friedman, speaking at a commemoration for Jewish artists persecuted and murdered during the Nazi regime, criticized the insufficient progress made since the war. He described the Bayreuth Festival site as a ‘Nazi history’ and labeled Wagner a ‘terrible antisemite.’ While acknowledging the positive changes in memory culture under festival director Katharina Wagner, Friedman urged a continued confrontation with this dark chapter of history. Wagner’s explicit antisemitic statements have long been a point of contention in discussions surrounding his legacy.