R.I.P. Pegida – 10 Years of PEGIDA
The final PEGIDA demonstration took place in Dresden, where it first emerged in October 2014. PEGIDA shaped public discourse in Germany, influenced the AfD, and inspired short-lived offshoots worldwide. Its rallies became a platform for international extremists, but internal fractures and declining support led to its marginalization.
“Fighter of the Islamization of Europe” Suspected in Terrorist Attack in Germany
On December 20, a black BMW crashed into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing at least two people and injuring dozens more. The suspected terrorist has been arrested. Police have not yet announced his motives, but journalists said the perpetrator probably had mental problems and was under the influence of drugs. While the attack is reminiscent of Islamist terrorist attacks of the past, the perpetrator appears to be an ex-Muslim aligned with the German far-right.
Victories for the far-right AfD party in eastern Germany
Elections took place in the German federal states of Thuringia and Saxony on September 1, 2024, and in Brandenburg on September 22. The far-right party “Alternative für Deutschland” (AfD) saw significant gains across all three states.
Who are the Reichsbürgers in Germany?
The following text introduces a far-right movement in Germany whose followers believe that the “Deutsche Reich” continues to exist and that the elected government is illegal. Although its rejection of the state makes it seem bizarre, it is dangerous and has grown considerably in recent years due to the crises in Germany.
The last straw – AfD’s departure from the Identity & Democracy Group
The sacking of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) from the Identity & Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament traces back to clashes between AfD and Rassemblement National (RN), resulting from non-matching strategies and conduct rather than ideological mismatches.
Far-Right Extremism Is a Threat to Germany’s Democracy
Investigations have continued into this year, with a second raid against further Reichsbürger on 22 March ending in an exchange of fire between a suspect and the police. How big is this network of far-right conspiracists, and how serious is the threat they pose to liberal democracy in Germany? Die Linke MP and spokesperson for antifascist policy Martina Renner spoke with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation’s Anika Taschke about these questions and the fight against far-right extremism in Germany today.
A Decade of Right-Wing Radicalization
Ten years after its founding, the Alternative für Deutschland shows no sign of moderating its politics By Gerd Wiegel The rise of Germany’s leading right-populist party, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) or “Alternative for Germany”, is unprecedented in the German political system. The AfD won 10.3 percent in the autumn 2021 elections, securing it seats […]
Raid Against ‘Reichsbürger’: Mad in Germany
In the early morning hours of the 7th of December 2022, 3.000 police officers conducted 130 house searches and arrested 25 individuals. All of this took place in 11 Federal States including Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Thuringia, Lower Saxony, as well as Kitzbühl (Austria) and Perugia (Italy). Out of the 25 […]
Germany’s anti-Covid Protests: Dangerous Self-Victimization
This article takes a look at the protests against the Corona restrictions and vaccine mandates in Germany during the Covid-19 pandemic and explains the affective dynamics behind them. After identifying far-right actors as central agitators and promoters of Covid-related conspiracy narratives and introducing the concept of affect for a general audience, it points out how self-victimization is the central affective dynamic behind the anti-covid movement in Germany.
#SayTheirNames #Hanauistüberall #Hanau1902
After the attack of Hanau, which marks its second anniversary, public discourse about racist violence in Germany changed. One on hand it was preceded by little to no prevention attempts, and followed by usual failures of authorities: poor investigative work, cold and disrespectful treatment of the families of the victims, and the ritualized indignation of politicians without any serious consequences. Moreover, Hanau triggered an old trauma of non-white people living in Germany: the racist othering, the daily insults and threats, ultimately violence, and the experience that their lives are less worthy of protection or grief.
