In Düsseldorf, the carnival artist and satirist Jacques Tilly is delivering a special birthday present to Vladimir Putin: Just in time for the Kremlin leader’s 74th birthday, the carnival float builder is releasing a photo book that includes a dedicated extra section to his Putin-critical motto wagon. In addition, Tilly, who was sentenced in absentia to eight and a half years in prison by a Moscow court six months ago, has a message for the president: “We will of course continue along our path, and we will continue to criticize the Russian regime as well.”
Tilly and the editor Eva Creutz presented in Düsseldorf the photo book “Who Is Afraid of Papier-Mâché?” (Amazon Affiliate Link). Officially the book will be released on Wednesday (October 7), Putin’s birthday. They say that’s a coincidence.
Concentrated State Power Against Paper Figures
“The full force of an authoritarian state was marshaled against festively silly paper figures,” writes Tilly in a postscript. “The trial impressively demonstrates that satire can actually hurt the powerful of this world, that satire is capable of making despots and autocrats afraid (…). They are afraid of being depicted for what they are: delusionally grandiose, ridiculous cowards.”
Moscow’s justice system had accused Tilly in the criminal proceedings, among other things, of defaming the Russian army and offending religious feelings. Since 2009, Tilly has been commenting on Putin’s politics with his sharp-satirical motto wagons. Among the best known are the Kremlin chief bathing in a blood-filled tub — a reference to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. On another wagon, Putin in uniform and the kneeling Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in an act of oral sex was depicted.
Even though almost all motto wagons are traditionally destroyed after the Rosenmontag parades, the images did travel the world. “This is clearly an art form that is understood worldwide and also has an impact,” Tilly says, satisfied.
The Proceedings Left a Mark
From the indictment and the trial, he says, he was not officially informed by the Russian side, nor did he ever receive a written verdict, the 63-year-old notes. “Russia is a rule-of-law-free state. It’s a corrupt system, it’s an unjust verdict, and I try to stay out of it as best as I can.”
Nevertheless, the proceedings left their mark on the 63-year-old Tilly. “Well, it doesn’t feel good to be condemned by Moscow.” The verdict is like a Damoclean sword hanging over him. But he won’t descend into paranoia; together with his wife, he intends to enjoy life with all the zest possible.
He certainly won’t be intimidated, Tilly assures. “If we get intimidated, then they’ve achieved their goal, and I don’t want that.” He tries to stay as unflustered as possible. And he concedes: “It doesn’t always work.” The only positive thing he can take from the trial is that it shows satire can indeed hurt.
Conversations with Security Authorities
He is fortunately not facing concrete threats, he says. There is more of an abstract threat environment. He has spoken with the domestic intelligence service, the state protection agency, and the police. “I’m not on any black lists.” He has also received a lot of solidarity from politicians, but especially from many citizens and, of course, from his team.
What concerns Tilly is the recent warning from the domestic intelligence service and the Federal Intelligence Service that Russia is waging a shadow war against Germany. It emphasized how dangerous the situation is, that it is escalating, and that one should expect increasingly harsher measures from Russia against Germany. “And that doesn’t bode well for any of us here, not even in carnival.”
Although he cannot travel to some countries because of the risk of extradition to Russia, that is ultimately a luxury problem compared with the people who are truly at the mercy of Russian justice. “I can still live freely, I can work freely.”
The Next Putin Wagon Remains Under Wraps
By the way, Tilly isn’t saying yet whether and how he will take aim at Putin in the next Rosenmontag parade. “I absolutely don’t know yet; it’s still far too early to start thinking about the political wagons.”
Jacques Tilly: Who Is Afraid of Papier-Mâché? Edited by Eva Creutz. 160 pages. Alibri Verlag. Aschaffenburg 2026. Hardcover: 20 € (ISBN 978-3-86569-459-1)
