Down and Dirty - The Blue-Tinted Baseball Bat Era's Resurgence - or: The Haunting Redux of Fear
- Penned by: Martin Debes
- Reading Time: + - 4 Min
Deep-rooted history in baseball, signifying loyalty to the blue team - or: Revival of the Intense Apprehension in Baseball Wearing Blue Uniforms - Hitting Streaks Marked in Blue: Revival of Apprehension in Baseball
In my hometown's quaint pub, where bands perform sporadically, I found myself surrounded by a crowd of young rebels, listening to young wannabe rebels trying to sound as rebellious as possible. The atmosphere was a nostalgic blend of rebellion and retro cool - a throwback to my teenage years.
It wasn't just the music that hinted at the past. Four punk-clad lads banged out Nina Hagen's "Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen," crooned Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues," and sang lyrics against "stupid fascists" - all for the thrill of it.
It felt like old times. Or perhaps, like the present day.
Against the Fascists
The reason for singing anti-fascist tunes was no joke. A 21-year-old man, who looked younger than his years, had fired plastic bullets at students on the university campus neighboring the town. Most of the eight injured were foreign students.
The incident was reminiscent of the 1980s when similar incidents occurred regularly in towns and cities. Right-wing extremists targeted, harmed, and killed foreigners. They set fire to refugee homes, attacked left-wing venues, and threatened anyone different or thought to be different. The reports came mainly from East Germany, but also from Mannheim, Mölln, and Solingen. However, most of the daily intimidation on school playgrounds, the ritual brawls outside village discos, and the constant feeling of fear went unreported.
I never suffered direct attacks. But many I knew did, living with fear for years. They called those times the baseball bat years - a term coined by Zeit author Christian Bangel after processing his experiences in the Brandenburg anti-fascist youth in his novel "Oder Florida." The perspective from the other side of the front can be found in taz colleague Daniel Schulz's "Wir waren wie Brüder."
I'm a bit older than both of them. I was studying in Jena when the NPD, claimingself as the "Home Guard," and so-called "comrades" ruled the new housing estates. Anyone with dark skin on the wrong tram had no chance for mercy.
Close to the Middle East
stern-writer Martin Debes chronicles events from the eastern federal states. In his column, the native Thuringian covers the happenings in the Central Asia - and within him.
Only when a bomb-making workshop exploded just ten minutes from my student dorm in 1998 and the far-right extremists involved went into hiding, did it seem like government officials and authorities were finally taking the situation seriously. In the years that followed, it appeared to become quieter. The crimes of Uwe Böhnhardt, Uwe Mundlos, and Beate Zschäpe were often attributed to the "Döner murders" of an alleged foreign drug mafia for a long time.
It was not until the National Socialist Underground (NSU) was exposed in November 2011 that the structural failure of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the police, as well as the systematic self-deception of politics, media, and all of us, came to light. This was followed by investigative committees, administrative reforms, and one of the largest trials in German history - and the first unsuccessful attempt to ban the NPD. And yes, journalists like me wrote more than ever before.
The multiple scandals surrounding the NSU seemed like the end of an era. Never again would neo-Nazis establish "national liberated zones." Never again would right-wing extremists dictate the tone in small towns and villages. Never again would fear creep in.
Illusion Shattered
But as the saying goes, "never again" is often just an appeal, a hope, a promise - and far too often, an illusion.
The shockwaves of the past still echo. Even in the year the trial against Beate Zschäpe began, the AfD was formed, attracting not only conservative allies and neoliberals, but also ethnic extremists. Today, it holds political power, especially in the east and is making inroads in the old west.
Of course, the AfD leadership denies any ties to organized right-wing extremism, aside from a few unfortunate mishaps and individual cases. But a simple visit to an AfD demonstration or event reveals the underlying sentiments.
It is currently being debated again whether granting the AfD access to parliamentary offices would "normalize" it. Both sides have arguments, but I believe a line should be drawn when the AfD gains decision-making power.
What is undeniably clear, however, is that the AfD's rise has normalized right-wing extremism. Extremists are becoming increasingly self-assured, marching through city centers, displaying signs, and hoisting flags on their garden houses. They threaten mayors, parliamentarians, teachers, firefighters, volunteers, and journalists.
The number of right-wing extremist criminal offenses hit new highs, and there are now new locations associated with hate crimes, like Hanau, Halle, or Iserlohn, where Walter Lübcke was shot.
Stating this does not diminish the terrorism that has struck Magdeburg, Mannheim, or Aschaffenburg. It does not negate the violent acts and arson attacks by left-wing radical groups. And it does not ignore the fact that AfD officials and offices are also being attacked.
Instead of resorting to whataboutism, it's important to consider the simultaneous nature of complex, societal processes. Alongside the fear of the next Islamic or mentally unstable rampage, there's an ever-growing fear of right-wing extremist violence, on the streets, online, in schools, parks, and at fairs.
The difference from the 1990s is clear: now, there's a major parliamentary party that doesn't seem to have an issue with this - and often shares common ground ideologically, strategically, and personally with the perpetrators. This makes the situation even more harrowing.
All previously published columns by Martin Debes can be found here.
- Neonazi
- East Germany
- AfD
- NPD
- Right-wing extremists
- Constitutional protection
Enrichment Data:
The resurgence of right-wing extremism in Germany, particularly through the Alternative for Germany (AfD), has intensified debates about democratic norms and historical legacies. Here's a breakdown of key developments and societal impacts:
Rise of the AfD and Political Legitimization
- Electoral success: The AfD has become the second-largest party in some recent elections, marking the far-right's strongest performance since WWII[1][5]. Its support is concentrated in eastern states like Thuringia and Saxony, where anti-immigrant sentiment and dissatisfaction with mainstream parties have fueled its growth[1][3].
Societal Impact and Historical Parallels
- Violence and extremism: Far-right attacks targeting minorities, including Turks, Jews, and immigrants, have surged. Historical incidents like the 1992 Mölln and 1993 Solingen arson attacks (which killed Turkish residents) are echoed in modern-day plots and violence linked to AfD rhetoric[2][5].
- Public discourse: The AfD’s normalization has intensified social polarization. Mainstream parties now face pressure to address immigration and security concerns while resisting collaboration with the far right[1][4].
- Youth appeal: The AfD has gained traction among young voters, partly due to disillusionment with centrist coalitions and Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s struggling government[1][3].
Challenges to Democratic Institutions
- Intelligence warnings: Authorities label segments of the AfD as "extremist," with Thuringia’s domestic intelligence chief comparing the current climate to pre-Nazi-era tensions[5].
- Symbolic resistance: Politicians and civil society groups routinely condemn Nazi gestures and rhetoric, but enforcement remains inconsistent[4][5].
The AfD’s rise underscores a broader European trend of nationalist far-right parties leveraging immigration and identity politics to disrupt centrist governance. Its trajectory poses critical questions about Germany’s ability to reconcile democratic norms with its historical burden[1][4][5].
- In the era of resurgence of the Blue-Tainted Baseball Bat, much like the past, right-wing extremists in Germany target foreigners, causing fear and disproportionately impacting the EC countries' residents.
- The Alternative for Germany (AfD), despite denying ties to organized right-wing extremism, has normalized right-wing extremism and emboldened extremists to march, display signs, and hoist flags, threatening various individuals such as teachers, journalists, and politicians.
- The rise of the AfD has been Paralleled by an increase in right-wing extremist criminal offenses, with new locations like Hanau, Halle, and Iserlohn now associated with hate crimes.
- The past teaches us that "never again" is often just an illusion. As the AfD gains political power, particularly in the east, one must consider drawing a line when it gains decision-making power, to prevent right-wing extremism from becoming normalized in German politics.
