Berlin (AP) – Sabine Thonke took part in a recent demonstration in Berlin against the far-right party in Germany, feeling hopeful for the first time in years that the extremists’ growing power in the country could be stopped. Thonke, 59, had been troubled by the rise of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and was particularly alarmed by a plan to deport millions of people. She expressed disbelief that such inhuman ideas could gain popularity in Germany again, despite the lessons learned from the past atrocities of Nazism through education and laws against persecution.
In the national polls, the AfD is predicted to be the second largest party, masking a significant division where the party holds disproportionate support in the formerly communist and less prosperous eastern states of Germany. The AfD’s rise in these areas has been driven by frustration over issues such as inflation and rising immigration, with Germany receiving a large number of asylum requests, most notably from Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Ukraine. Across Europe, far-right nationalist parties are gaining momentum by promising restrictions on immigration and, in some cases, limitations on democratic freedoms.
The aftermath of World War II shaped the guiding principles of West Germans, who vowed to never allow another dictatorship on German soil. Thonke, who grew up in Bavaria, learned about the horrors of the Nazi era and the Holocaust through education, despite not discussing them with her grandparents who belonged to the Nazi generation. The resurgence of the far right in present times echoes similar tactics used by extremists of the past, exploiting people’s fears to gain trust and votes, especially among disenfranchised populations.
Despite efforts to distance themselves from extremist views, AfD party leaders have faced scrutiny for their association with right-wing meetings discussing deportation and revisionist views on Germany’s past. In response, a wave of protests against the far right has emerged in Germany, drawing millions of participants in various cities and towns. The movement seeks to defend democracy against the far-right threats and calls for greater government action to address the root causes of the migration crisis. As the AfD eyes upcoming elections, the challenge remains for anti-far-right protesters to mobilize voters to push back against the party’s agenda.
