Germany necessitates maintaining a global presence, considering it pivotal. (Attribution: Pilar Requena, Director of Document TV)
What's Brewing in Germany: From Economic Powerhouse to Political Turmoil
Last March, the Bundestag witnessed a significant shift when the far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), snatched 152 seats, making it the largest parliamentary representation since its inception in 2013. Currently, the second political force, AfD serves as the main opposition group. Despite its growth, the limits imposed by the "cordon sanitaire" of traditional parties will continue to curb its legislative influence. However, this hasn't stopped concessions to its demands on migratory issues, particularly by the conservatives of the CDU.
Journalist, Pilar Requena del Río, former Germany correspondent for our website, and current director of the Documentos TV program, publishes the book Brown Populism: The Rise of the Far Right, edited by Catarata. In this book, she provides an in-depth look at ultra-movements in Germany from the fall of the wall to this year's federal elections.
Germany, a Tale of Two Eras: Ideological Shifts and Challenges
Journalist Beatriz Dominguez, RNE correspondent in Berlin, explores how the denazification process was approached differently in the two Germanies. In the West, there was a recognition of the crimes of the Third Reich under the motto "never again." In the East, the regime limited itself to purging Nazi officials and military without a historical review. But did the extreme right remain latent in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) because its eradication was not addressed?
Q: Did the extreme right remain latent in the GDR due to insufficient denazification?
A: Essentially, yes. The inhabitants of the GDR were anti-fascists by decree, not questioning whether they had done anything wrong. The extreme right, in their view, were on the other side. In fact, Nazism wasn't studied until the 1970s, and the Holocaust was scarcely mentioned.
The East German state apparatus either ignored or denied the existence of neonazis, focusing instead on pointing out the existence of a youth that was primarily protesting against the Berlin Wall. When these young people ended up in prison, they sometimes found themselves alongside former Nazi party members. Upon release, these young people often emerged radicalized.
Q: Could it be that the communist apparatus of the GDR minimized the importance of the extreme right due to their focus on fighting liberal movements in the west?
A: Of course! To them, there was no fascism or Nazism. It was the past, and they declared they had nothing to do with it, or it didn't concern them. In their view, these neonazis were simply youth who had deviated from the system.
The lack of a historical review fostered ultra movements in the East. With reunification, many foreigners arrived in a society that was, until then, homogeneous. Their initial reaction was to applaud the first neonazi attacks, which fueled extremist activities.
Q: Post-reunification, it appears that the focus was on concrete matters rather than creating a civic consciousness. Is this a consequence of the pragmatic nature of Germans?
A: They thought they had to make a quick reunification and that, besides, it had to be successful. The politicians in the east wanted unification; they were willing to accept any terms. However, reunification could have been achieved differently.
The neglect of social values and the rushed reunification created a breeding ground for the far-right in contemporary eastern Germany. This historical trajectory underscores how the legacy of the GDR's political control paradoxically set the stage for modern far-right extremism by leaving unresolved social grievances and identity tensions after 1990.
- The denazification process in the East German Democratic Republic (GDR) was approached differently compared to the West, with little historical review and the initial lack of focus on neonazis, leaving unresolved social grievances and identity tensions that ultimately contributed to the rise of far-right extremism in contemporary eastern Germany.
- Following the reunification of Germany, a focus on concrete matters rather than creating a civic consciousness seemed to dominate, which some argue was a consequence of the pragmatic nature of the Germans and may have contributed to the far-right's rise in contemporary eastern Germany.
- The general news and political landscape in contemporary Germany, particularly in the east, have seen the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) gain significant influence, with concessions to its demands on migratory issues, particularly by the conservatives of the CDU, demonstrating the impact of war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and politics on migration issues in the region.
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