Global Scream
I initiated #GlobalScream as a symbolic yet real action of women’s solidarity beyond borders, in which every person can participate, regardless of ideological differences, nationality, language, religion or gender.
Global Scream was also created as an attempt to unite the divided feminist community in Berlin on International Women’s Day. On this day in 2019, there were two different marches organised by the two collectives Frauen*Kampftag and Alliance of Internationalist Feminists, which had different agendas, ideologies and march routes. In 2017, we managed to persuade both marches to meet and culminate in one place (at the Polish protest at Oranienplatz). In 2019, the unification did not happen.
Thanks to a symbolic action held at the same hour on the same day, the participants of both marches were able to do something together although they were in different locations – they screamed for a minute, together, although separately, and each for personal reasons.
Global Scream is a woman’s scream of rage, anger, grief and maybe even joy – each of us knows these emotions, even if the reasons are different. And each of us can scream. We don’t even have to speak the same language to become one voice. The voice of women. Screaming becomes a kind of catharsis that releases emotions. Physically, screaming turns our negative emotions into positive ones, and oxygen releases power and energy.
We are giving our voice away! We are women*, we are angry and we will not give up! All together!
It’s only a minute for a woman, but a global scream for the women of the world!
We will be loud!
Join us! Raise your voice!
(Anna Krenz / Dziewuchy Berlin, 2019)
Concept
Global Scream (Polish: Globalny Krzyk, German: Aufschrei Global, Spanish: El Grito Global) is an art action and political performance consisting of a minute of screaming by women* for a specific intention, which I created in 2019.
The action was created as a proposal for the 2019 celebration of International Women’s Day for the German Women’s Strike (Feministischer Frauen*Streik). During the organisational convention on 17 February 2019 in Berlin, I presented the proposal and it was voted by a majority as one of the main actions of the Feminist Strike in Germany (alongside my another action - #IchStreike).
The #GlobalScream first took place on March 8, 2019 in Berlin and other German cities, in some places in Poland (in Poznań, organised by Black Venus Protest, and in Krakow by Sisters of the River), as well as in Denmark, Belgium or West Africa. In Berlin alone, 25,000 people took part.
In the following years, the action was again carried out in Berlin and other cities during International Women’s Day, for example in Nuremberg at 5 pm or in Freiburg.
https://kommon.jetzt/globalscream-womenstrike-2019-berlin-2/
https://frauenstreik.org/event/aufschreiglobal-global-scream-globalnykrzyk/
#Hashtag
Global Scream uses the hashtags: #GlobalScream, #AufschreiGlobal, #GlobalCry, #ElGritoGlobal. The German version of the name is a reference to and a nod to the #Aufschrei hashtag popularised by German feminist Anne Wizorek on January 23, 2013 on Twitter (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aufschrei#). It was a reaction to sexist statements by politicians in the German media and set off a flurry of social media comments about the experience of sexism in everyday life. The hashtag #Aufschrei was the German equivalent of the hashtag #MeToo, which was created a few years later – in 2017.
#Scream
The action refers to the film "3 Minute Scream" by Gina Birch (1977), whereas it is a collective experience, rather than individual.
Exhibitions
"Global Scream" has been presented on various exhibitions:
Liberty, Equality, Solidarność. Polish viewpoints in Berlin.
Exhibition in Stadtmuseum Berlin
30.5.2024-31.1.2026
Publications
"Global Scream! Polish Feminist Protest Art in Berlin" by Anna Krenz,
in Transnational Visual Activism for Women’s Reproductive Rights. My Body, My Choice. Edited by Basia Sliwinska, Copyright 2025, Routledge
ISBN 9781032533568
"Ausschweifende Zusammenhänge? Die soziale Frage durch feministische Streikinitiativen gestellt", by Gisela Mackenroth, in Bescherer, P., Griesi, E., Künkel, J., & Mackenroth, G. (Hrsg.). (2024). Der Bewegungsraum der sozialen Frage: Wo Protest Platz hat und Raum findet (Raumproduktionen: Theorie und gesellschaftliche Praxis, 44). Münster: Verlag Westfälisches Dampfboot, 1. Auflage Münster 2024.
Print-ISBN 978-3-89691-129-2; PDF-ISBN 978-3-98634-170-1 https://doi.org/10.56715/398634170
"Collagen, Instant-Theater, Performance – queer-feministische Protestkunst im öffentlichen Raum. Ein Interview mit Tina Keserović, Anna Krenz und Hannah",, by Gisela Mackenroth, in Bescherer, P., Griesi, E., Künkel, J., & Mackenroth, G. (Hrsg.). (2024). Der Bewegungsraum der sozialen Frage: Wo Protest Platz hat und Raum findet (Raumproduktionen: Theorie und gesellschaftliche Praxis, 44). Münster: Verlag Westfälisches Dampfboot, 1. Auflage Münster 2024.
Print-ISBN 978-3-89691-129-2; PDF-ISBN 978-3-98634-170-1 https://doi.org/10.56715/398634170
"Global Scream!" by Anna Krenz, in European Alternatives Journal, no. 1, magazine download https://euroalter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/European-Alternatives-Journal-Issue-1.pdf
article online https://euroalter.com/journal/global-scream/
The beginning
17.2.2019, Berlin
Convention of the Women’s Strike, Voting on Global Scream,17.02.2019, Berlin.
Fotos: Estefania Henríquez Cubillos und Johanna Hoffmann / Frauen*Streik
Global Scream
The collective Dziewuchy Berlin organises its flagship action, Global Scream, in Berlin from 2019 and co-organises actions in other countries, usually as an act of solidarity with Poland. Selected examples:
“Wir leben Widerstand! Für ein Ende der Gewalt gegen Frauen*” / Dość! Stawiamy opór! / Enough! We resist!
Dziewuchy Berlin took part in the protest for an end to violence against women* on 16.11.2019 at Hermannplatz in Berlin and held the #GlobalScream performance.
fair share! 8. März 2020 Demo: Sichtbarkeit für Künstlerinnen
https://www.kunstleben-berlin.de/fair-share-8-maerz-demo-sichtbarkeit-fuer-kuenstlerinnen/
Scream in Switzerland
The idea was also implemented in other countries, like in Geneva, Switzerland on June 14, 2020.
https://www.facebook.com/GFgeneve/videos/256849988750778
#14juin2020 #LeCri
Safe Abortion Day 2020
On the International Day for Safe Abortion on September 28, 2020 at the Brandenburg Gate, Dziewuchy Berlin organised the protest and performance “Voices”, which included the mobile installation Embassy of Polish Women (Botschaft der Polinnen*) and the Global Scream. Members of organisations like Ni una menos Berlin, Berlin-Ireland Pro Choice Solidarity and Bündnis für sexuelle Selbstbestimmung spoke at the protest.
(https://www.dziewuchyberlin.org/28-9-2020-voices-botschaft-der-polinnen-performance/)
International Women*s Day, 8.3.2023
The Spring of Women* / Frühling der Frauen* / The Spring of Women*.
March Revolution / March Revolution 2023
Demonstration, Bebelplatz, Berlin
Global Scream at 16.00 in solidarity with Georgia
Fotos: Maciej Soja / Soja Photography
https://www.dziewuchyberlin.org/8m2023-international-womens-day/