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Time of India
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
In eastern Germany, youths embrace nationalism, extremism
Representative AI image Right-wing extremism and racism have spread significantly in the city of Dessau, in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt. This has also become visible as graffiti: swastikas, pro-Hitler images and Nazi slogans are a common sight on the streets. It's become a trend across cities and regions in Germany — especially in the east. Holger Münch, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, warned in May that authorities have increasingly seen a "radicalization of very young people with far-right views," some of whom are organizing to "commit serious crimes." "In parts of rural eastern Germany, 'Nazi' has become part of pop culture," said Lukas Jocher, who works for Projekt GegenPart, a mobile counseling team that fights right-wing extremism in Dessau. "And it's become cool to write out that song, 'Heil Hitler,' by US rapper Kanye on a wall." Young people who spoke with DW in Dessau confirmed that to them, being far-right has somehow become "cool." A 17-year-old boy who was walking with two teenage girls in the city center laughed when asked about right-wing extremism at their school. "Hitler is glorified big time!" they said, adding that the Hitler salute is now a regular part of their school life and that it seemed normal to sing the slogan "Foreigners out!" at parties. "We just sing along," said the 17-year-old, who didn't give his name, laughing, "It doesn't matter what kind of music is playing." Are hate and incitement the new normal? How did it come to this? Young people rarely become radicalized in a single step — it's a gradual process. Dessau, with its roughly 75,000 residents, is a regional hub that serves surrounding areas with its shopping centers, hospitals and museums. Cities like this are home to nearly a quarter of the German population. Following a merger with a neighboring town, Dessau is now officially called Dessau-Rosslau. The reunification of East and West Germany in 1990 brought significant freedoms to the people of Dessau. However, it also went hand in hand with economic collapse, mass unemployment and an enormous exodus of young, well-educated residents. The city continues to shrink to this day. However, authorities in the state of Saxony-Anhalt made massive investments. In Dessau alone since reunification, around €1 billion ($1.16 billion) have been invested in the economy, infrastructure and cultural institutions. Today, the city looks polished and well-kept. And Dessau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized as the epicenter of the most influential architectural style of the 20th century — Bauhaus. It stands for modernity, for new beginnings, for a better and more just future, for humanism. The Bauhaus movement came to Dessau a century ago, and the city is still shaped by its buildings and housing projects. Nearly a thousand international students breathe life into this legacy and transform the city and its university into a global center of teaching and learning. Dessau plagued by racism and violence But despite all of its investments, cultural initiatives and engagement efforts, Dessau has in recent decades made international headlines first and foremost for incidents of hate and violence. In 2000, far-right youths murdered 39-year-old Alberto Adriano — kicking him to death without provocation simply because he was Black. Adriano was from Mozambique. In the aftermath of the attack, then-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder called on the public to show civil courage and stand up to right-wing extremism. Five years later, in 2005, asylum-seeker Oury Jalloh died in a Dessau police prison cell. He had burned to death, tied to a mattress. Many pieces of evidence pointed to third-party involvement, but the case was never solved. A decade later, Chinese student Li Yangjie was pursuing her master's degree at Dessau's renowned school of architecture. In May 2016, just before graduation, she was brutally assaulted and murdered. Two years later, Sebastian F. — the son of a police officer — was handed a life sentence for the crime. Following the murder, the Chinese Embassy in Berlin issued a travel warning for Dessau, stating: "People there are traditionally hostile toward foreigners." Mayor with a neo-Nazi past Now, in 2025, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the second-strongest party across Germany, and far ahead in most of the eastern states. Extremist AfD politician Laurens Nothdurft was elected mayor of Dessau-Rosslau — with backing from other parties — in July 2024. Nothdurft's duties include congratulating residents on milestone occasions and delivering speeches at memorial events attended by students. He has said he feels a strong connection to young people. On May 8, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Germany and the country's liberation from Nazi rule, Nothdurft gave a speech in Dessau with students in attendance. Attendees remarked later that he did not mention German war crimes or the mass murder of European Jews. When DW inquired about the content of his speech, Nothdurft replied: "The core of my speech was to look forward — quite explicitly toward a positive future. "Nothdurft was a far-right youth organization leader in the late 1990s. The group, Heimattreue Deutsche Jugend, was banned in 2009 for its ideological proximity to National Socialism and the Hitler Youth. Technically, Nothdurft's AfD membership runs counter to the party's official policy barring individuals with neo-Nazi affiliations. However, when DW asked the AfD about the contradiction, the party refused to comment. In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD won 37% of the general election earlier this year. The party has now set its sights on winning an absolute majority in the 2026 state election. Citizens take a stand against far right "Extremism is becoming ever more mainstream and becoming more socially acceptable," said Marcus Geiger in an interview with DW. He and his wife, Mandy Mück, are active members of the Dessau-based civic group, Buntes Rosslau ("Colorful Rosslau"). For the couple, hostility has become a daily reality. "We've been insulted on the street and called 'leftist scum.' Someone once pitched a beer bottle through our window at home, and nails have been tossed over our garden gate," said Mück, adding that their neighbors also avoid them. "No one hears anything, no one sees anything, and no one ever comes by." And they've noticed a troubling trend: the aggressors seem to be getting they're not alone: along with the GegenPart project and Buntes Rosslau, many Christian Scout groups, teachers and other individuals, the university and several schools, local associations, civic groups and even some conservative politicians are confronting hostility and hate. Young people are also playing a vital role standing up to the far right, though they also confirmed far-right views are becoming increasingly common among the youth. "The other day, I walked past my old elementary school," said Sophie at the Alternative Youth Center. "I overheard some kids saying there should be a class made up only of pure-blooded Germans." "Some days, you're just constantly afraid in Dessau," she added. "Especially on certain holidays, when there's a lot of drinking." "I only walk around in the area where I live," added Max, a friend. "Many of us have had experiences like that," said Paul Nolte, who also serves as city council representative for alternative youth. "Timm and I were threatened with a knife," he added, indicating a young bearded man wearing a ball cap nearby. They feel the situation in their city, and across Germany, is worrying. And yet, some maintain a positive outlook. "Every person counts in Dessau. You can make a difference here." Despite hostility and challenges, none of them wants to leave. Dessau, they say, is their home.


DW
29-06-2025
- Politics
- DW
In eastern Germany, youths embrace nationalism, extremism – DW – 06/29/2025
In many parts of eastern Germany, showing Nazi symbols is no longer seen as a provocation. Authorities are warning that more and more young people are becoming radicalized. DW explored the reasons in the city of Dessau. Right-wing extremism and racism have spread significantly in the city of Dessau, in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt. This has also become visible as graffiti: swastikas, pro-Hitler images and Nazi slogans are a common sight on the streets. It's become a trend across cities and regions in Germany — especially in the east. Holger Münch, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, warned in May that authorities have increasingly seen a "radicalization of very young people with right-wing views," some of whom are organizing to "commit serious crimes." "In parts of rural eastern Germany, 'Nazi' has become part of pop culture," said Lukas Jocher, who works for Projekt GegenPart, a mobile counseling team that fights right-wing extremism in Dessau. "And it's become cool to write out that song, 'Heil Hitler,' by US rapper Kanye on a wall." Young people who spoke with DW in Dessau confirmed that to them, being right-wing has somehow become "cool." A 17-year-old boy who was walking with two teenage girls in the city center laughed when asked about right-wing extremism at their school. "Hitler is glorified big time!" they said, adding that the Hitler salute is now a regular part of their school life and that it seemed normal to sing the slogan "Foreigners out!" at parties. "We just sing along," said the 17-year-old, who didn't give his name, laughing, "It doesn't matter what kind of music is playing." How did it come to this? Young people rarely become radicalized in a single step — it's a gradual process. Dessau, with its roughly 75,000 residents, is a regional hub that serves surrounding areas with its shopping centers, hospitals and museums. Cities like this are home to nearly a quarter of the German population. Following a merger with a neighboring town, Dessau is now officially called Dessau-Rosslau. The reunification of East and West Germany in 1990 brought significant freedoms to the people of Dessau. However, it also went hand in hand with economic collapse, mass unemployment and an enormous exodus of young, well-educated residents. The city continues to shrink to this day. However, authorities in the state of Saxony-Anhalt made massive investments. In Dessau alone since reunification, around €1 billion ($1.16 billion) have been invested in the economy, infrastructure and cultural institutions. Today, the city looks polished and well-kept. And Dessau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized as the epicenter of the most influential architectural style of the 20th century — Bauhaus. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Bauhaus stands for modernity, for new beginnings, for a better and more just future, for humanism. The Bauhaus movement came to Dessau a century ago, and the city is still shaped by its buildings and housing projects. Nearly a thousand international students breathe life into this legacy and transform the city and its university into a global center of teaching and learning. But despite all of its investments, cultural initiatives and engagement efforts, Dessau has in recent decades made international headlines first and foremost for incidents of hate and violence. In 2000, right-wing youths murdered 39-year-old Alberto Adriano — kicking him to death without provocation simply because he was Black. Adriano was from Mozambique. In the aftermath of the attack, then-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder called on the public to show civil courage and stand up to right-wing extremism. Five years later, in 2005, asylum-seeker Oury Jalloh died in a Dessau police prison cell. He had burned to death, tied to a mattress. Many pieces of evidence pointed to third-party involvement, but the case was never solved. A decade later, Chinese student Li Yangjie was pursuing her master's degree at Dessau's renowned school of architecture. In May 2016, just before graduation, she was brutally assaulted and murdered. Two years later, Sebastian F. — the son of a police officer — was handed a life sentence for the crime. Following the murder, the Chinese Embassy in Berlin issued a travel warning for Dessau, stating: "People there are traditionally hostile toward foreigners." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Now, in 2025, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the second-strongest party across Germany, and far ahead in most of the eastern states. Extremist AfD politician Laurens Nothdurft was elected mayor of Dessau-Rosslau — with backing from other parties — in July 2024. Nothdurft's duties include congratulating residents on milestone occasions and delivering speeches at memorial events attended by students. He has said he feels a strong connection to young people. On May 8, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Germany and the country's liberation from Nazi rule, Nothdurft gave a speech in Dessau with students in attendance. Attendees remarked later that he did not mention German war crimes or the mass murder of European Jews. When DW inquired about the content of his speech, Nothdurft replied: "The core of my speech was to look forward — quite explicitly toward a positive future." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Nothdurft was a far-right youth organization leader in the late 1990s. The group, Heimattreue Deutsche Jugend, was banned in 2009 for its ideological proximity to National Socialism and the Hitler Youth. Technically, Nothdurft's AfD membership runs counter to the party's official policy barring individuals with neo-Nazi affiliations. However, when DW asked the AfD about the contradiction, the party refused to comment. In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD won 37% of the general election earlier this year. The party has now set its sights on winning an absolute majority in the 2026 state election. "Extremism is becoming ever more mainstream and becoming more socially acceptable," said Marcus Geiger in an interview with DW. He and his wife, Mandy Mück, are active members of the Dessau-based civic group, Buntes Rosslau ("Colorful Rosslau"). For the couple, hostility has become a daily reality. "We've been insulted on the street and called 'leftist scum.' Someone once pitched a beer bottle through our window at home, and nails have been tossed over our garden gate," said Mück, adding that their neighbors also avoid them. "No one hears anything, no one sees anything, and no one ever comes by." And they've noticed a troubling trend: the aggressors seem to be getting younger. But they're not alone: along with the GegenPart project and Buntes Rosslau, many Christian Scout groups, teachers and other individuals, the university and several schools, local associations, civic groups and even some conservative politicians are confronting hostility and hate. Young people are also playing a vital role standing up to the far right, though they also confirmed far-right views are becoming increasingly common among the youth. "The other day, I walked past my old elementary school," said Sophie at the Alternative Youth Center. "I overheard some kids saying there should be a class made up only of pure-blooded Germans." "Some days, you're just constantly afraid in Dessau," she added. "Especially on certain holidays, when there's a lot of drinking." "I only walk around in the area where I live," added Max, a friend. "Many of us have had experiences like that," said Paul Nolte, who also serves as city council representative for alternative youth. "Timm and I were threatened with a knife," he added, indicating a young bearded man wearing a ball cap nearby. They feel the situation in their city, and across Germany, is worrying. And yet, some maintain a positive outlook. "Every person counts in Dessau. You can make a difference here." Despite hostility and challenges, none of them wants to leave. Dessau, they say, is their you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
German interior minister: Young extremists more violent-prone
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has warned of an increasing propensity for violence among young far-right extremists. "We are observing a significant rise in the radicalization of young people. The willingness to commit violence among youths is growing strongly within the far-right scene," the conservative Bavarian politician told Funke Media Group in comments published on Monday. Security authorities have also identified this trend among left-wing extremists and young Islamists. The "rise in political violence" is another indication of a "disruptive mechanism" within society, Dobrindt said. The state must counter this "with communication and education," he emphasized, adding that the problems faced by young people must also be addressed. Local education efforts are key Preventing politically-motivated violence must primarily happen at the local level, Dobrindt explained. "Education against this extreme propaganda can best be provided by local networks in cities and municipalities, such as in schools, clubs or youth centres," he said. People in local institutions have the "best sensitivity to detect when a young person is becoming radicalized. And ideally, they have the most direct influence on the individual." The president of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Holger Münch, recently warned that the criminal far-right youth scenes are growing, saying countering this was a task for society as a whole. At the end of May, the Federal Prosecutor's Office arrested five very young individuals suspected of belonging to a far-right terrorist cell.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Germany updates: Police chief warns of youth radicalization
The head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, has told newspapers that some young people are organizing themselves in groups to commit "serious crimes" after being radicalized by far-right ideologies. His remarks come after German police this week cracked down on a far-right extremist cell with members as young as 14. Train services at Hamburg's main station are meanwhile back to normal after 18 people were injured on Friday in a knife attack by a female suspect. This is a roundup of the top news stories from Germany on May 24, 2025. Train services at Hamburg's main station have resumed normal operations after a knife attack on Friday that left 18 injured, a spokeswoman for train operator Deutsche Bahn told the DPA news agency. A 39-year-old woman was arrested at the scene on suspicion of carrying out the attack. She is to come before a magistrate on Saturday. Four of the 18 wounded suffered life-threatening inuries, while six were seriously hurt, officials said. So far, police do not believe the attack was politically or ideologically motivated but was rather the result of some kind of psychological distress on the part of the attacker. The head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, has warned that young people within right-wing extremist circles are becoming increasingly radicalized. "For about a year, we've increasingly seen very young people with right-wing views becoming more radicalized and forming, at times, well-organized groups to carry out serious crimes," Münch told the Funke media group of newspapers in remarks published on Saturday. He said the internet was a major factor aiding the far-right scene to spread its network. "Radicalization, recruitment and mobilization increasingly happen via social networks and right-wing forums," Münch said. The BKA head said right-wing crime was posing a "major challenge" to security agencies but that general society also had a big role to play in reducing the threat. His remarks follow the arrests this week of five male suspects aged 14 to 18 who were members of a far-right extremist cell alleged to have plotted violent attacks on migrants. The head of Germany's federal crime agency, Holger Münch, has told newspapers that young people are increasingly falling under the thrall of far-right extremist ideologies, with some prepared to commit "serious crimes." Meanwhile, train services at the main station in the northern port city of Hamburg have resumed full operations after disruption caused on Friday by a knife attack carried out by a suspected female assailant in which several were injured. DW's Bonn newsroom keeps you up to speed with the latest headlines from Germany at a time when Europe's economic powerhouse is facing several major challenges from within and abroad.


DW
24-05-2025
- DW
Germany updates: Police chief warns of youth radicalization – DW – 05/24/2025
The head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, has told newspapers that some young people are organizing themselves in groups to commit "serious crimes" after being radicalized by far-right ideologies. His remarks come after German police this week cracked down on a far-right extremist cell with members as young as 14. Train services at Hamburg's main station are meanwhile back to normal after 18 people were injured on Friday in a knife attack by a female suspect. This is a roundup of the top news stories from Germany on May 24, 2025.