Journalist Braves AfD Stronghold in Erfurt: "I'm Intimidated"
City of Erfurt: A Tale of Two Worlds
Journalist Lena Elfers ventures into Erfurt, a city deep in the heart of Thuringia, for a unique experiment that spans ten days. Instead of visiting the typical tourist spots like the Cathedral, Krämer Bridge, Egapark, and Petersberg, she decides to delve into the city's diverse corners.
Her journey takes her to the Herrenberg, a neighborhood known as one of Erfurt's AfD strongholds. In the last federal election, the party secured a majority here. Simultaneously, Lena takes up an internship at a refugee shelter, sharing her experiences in the Y-Kollektiv reportage titled "Culture Clash in Erfurt."
A Journey Through the Herrenberg
Over two decades since reunification, gaps persist between the old and new federal states, encompassing economic disparities and political viewpoints. In the last federal election, the AfD made significant inroads in the East. Lena embarks on a dialogue with locals unsettled by migration and talks to refugees striving to build a life in this city. Is there truth to the stereotypes that all Easterners are racist and all foreigners are criminal?
A Bitter Goodbye in Erfurt! "Really Bad"
During her stay in Erfurt, Lena lodges at the Herrenberg in accommodations run by Monika Fiege. A pensioner who voted for the AfD in the last election shares her displeasure with Lena. "I'm not against foreigners [...] but many men come here and live the high life. I'd say over 50 percent don't work at all. They just live off our state. I've got a small pension, not even 800 euros, and I've worked all my life, raised two children, and now I'm supposed to support and feed people from Syria and Pakistan? I don't see why I should," the Erfurt resident laments.
"Can't Find the Words"
"I need a moment to process this [...] I don't want to judge, but sometimes I just don't know how to react," Lena recounts her feelings after the conversation. Similar sentiments are echoed at a friendly gathering of elders at the Erfurter Herrenberg. "The [AfD] don't say to get rid of all foreigners. They should stay, like nurses, doctors, specialists. But these freeloaders in fancy clothes - they don't have cheap phones like us. They hang around here, act like they own the place," one of the Erfurtians voices his opinion and continues, "I quit my job nearly 1.5 years ago. I found a mini-job. Not just because I enjoy working and the job, but we need the money [...] I have to calculate every month to make sure we don't slip into our overdraft."
Erfurt's Search for Smoke-Free Zones - But Faces Resistance
Unease, Anxiety, and Helplessness Among Refugees
Unease, anxiety, and helplessness also crop up among the refugee population, as Lena discovers during her time at the refugee accommodation in Erfurt. "It's tough when you go out every day and just feel that they don't want you to stay in this country. They don't want you around. It's somehow really sad and heart-wrenching," Egosha from Nigeria tells Lena. Syrian refugee Seba can, to some extent, understand the locals' wariness. Yet, she makes it clear, "I will learn, I will work, I will pay taxes. And I wish they knew that. Perhaps the majority of us have caused problems... But maybe they also know that there are people who are different - and that there are good refugees."
Unrest at the Herrenberg in Erfurt
Tensions run high at the Herrenberg in Erfurt. Residents feel the undercurrent of anxiety. Lena speaks to two women born and raised in the 'Flower City'. They have no migration background and are not AfD voters. Yet, they too feel a profound sense of unease. "This doesn't feel like home anymore because you have to live with so much fear every day," Miri tells the journalist, adding, "I think the problem isn't migrants, but men. Though I wouldn't say that every man is a danger." Fear is always the argument from both sides, but beneath the surface, it's anger and hatred that lurk.
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Lena's ten days in Erfurt come to an end sooner than anticipated. In this short time, she collects a cornucopia of impressions - from myriad perspectives. "At least I tried to listen, talk to people - beyond the clichés. But I too had initial fear of the unknown," Lena reflects. "I didn't meet any dangerous Nazi thugs, but people I liked, whose political views terrified me. That inner conflict was the biggest challenge for me," she sums up her experiment.
You can read the full report by the Y-Kollektiv, on assignment for MDR, >>HERE<<.
Insights:Attitudes towards migration and refugees in Germany, particularly in regions like Erfurt, can be influenced by broader national trends and local political discourse. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has significant support in some regions, advocates for stricter immigration controls and preservation of German culture and identity. In Erfurt, there have been instances of tension and controversy related to migration issues, such as the opposition to a mosque project by Björn Höcke, a prominent AfD figure. However, it's challenging to provide a precise overview of attitudes in Erfurt without specific details from the Y-Kollektiv reportage. Nonetheless, it's clear that migration remains a divisive issue in Germany, reflecting broader societal debates about identity, integration, and cultural change.
- The journalistic exploration in Erfurt delves into the political landscape of the city, with Lena Elfers reporting on both the stronghold of the AfD party and her internship at a refugee shelter, providing insights into the complex discourse surrounding migration and its impact on the community.
- In her encounters with locals in Erfurt, particularly in the AfD-supporting neighborhood of Herrenberg, Lena discovers a diversity of opinions, from worries about welfare dependency among immigrants to fears of strangers, revealing the persisting divide in attitudes towards migration across the city.
