A worrying trend: The far-right party that may make history in Germany
Ahead of local elections, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is seeing a surge in the polls. Party leaders are promising to overhaul art and education programs, removing what they term "anti-patriotic" content. Citizens are concerned about the rise of anti-democratic ideologies and are calling for the continued preservation of Holocaust memory.
Is Germany returning to its Nazi roots? Ahead of local elections in several states, the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) is recording a surge in the polls in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, according to a BBC report. The party is known, among other things, for its demand to stop funding "anti-German" art and education and to reduce curricula regarding Hitler and the Holocaust, as part of what they call "anti-patriotic acts."
According to the AfD, German memory culture sanctifies the Holocaust period and plunges the nation into a "guilt crisis."
"It is impossible to erase our past, — a party supporter told the BBC. — But we no longer have any connection to the Second World War."
The upcoming elections in Saxony-Anhalt, one of the 16 states that make up Germany, are scheduled for September 6 and are causing concern within the German parliament. Since 2023, no party has agreed to form a coalition with the AfD, either at the federal level or in Saxony-Anhalt itself.
According to German intelligence, the party is attempting to instill racist and anti-democratic ideologies. The AfD denies these accusations, blaming a political smear campaign.
Polls indicate a real possibility that the party could win the most votes in Saxony-Anhalt. There is a fear that if this occurs, the party will gain control over various authorities and ministries, enabling them to implement reforms in education, culture, and government.
Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, a senior party official and leader of the education reform, has attempted to calm fears: "We will continue to teach about our past, but in a limited way." Last year, he summarized the plan with the slogan: "More Bismarck, less Hitler."
Ulrich Siegmund, who may be elected as the first AfD governor in the state, told the BBC: "We have a rich and diverse history. We want the people to experience it with more pride, with all its advantages and disadvantages." Siegmund has previously expressed support for Austrian neo-Nazi activist Martin Sellner.
Some residents of Saxony-Anhalt are expressing deep concern over the AfD's planned takeover of education and culture, claiming it resembles the Nazi perception of the art world. "Who can decide for us what is 'German enough' art?" asks Frank Martin Widmaier, a local theater director. "They are playing with Nazi propaganda to threaten institutions and residents."
Residents are protesting against the party's claims of a "guilt crisis." "We don't have to feel guilty," one resident said. "But we must take responsibility and ensure that what happened does not happen again. It is part of our DNA."
