The Origins of Coburg's Shadows: An Unveiling of Its Murky Past
Coburg's Alarming Blueprint: A City's Struggle Against Its Chilling History
By Marko Schlichting
Coburg, a quaint city nestled in northeastern Bavaria, shocked the world by becoming the National Socialist Party's first electoral victory, decades before the infamous 1933. This small, picturesque city served as a blueprint for the ensuing Nazi dictatorship over Germany, birthing the SA's activities and fuelling anti-Semitic attacks. Today, Coburg grapples with its traumatic past.
"Coburg is a vibrant city, rooted in the heart of Europe. With roughly 140 different nationalities living here, such diversity epitomizes what I believe makes Coburg exceptional," states Mayor Dominik Sauerteig of the SPD. "But the frightening resurgence of extremists and xenophobic, anti-democratic, and even isolationist tendencies in politics and society leave me deeply worried. Here in Coburg, we must act decisively: Never Again!"
Sauerteig echoes a sense of caution, as Coburg's history had long been concealed. "Coburg signifies more than just any city's name," declared Adolf Hitler in 1935. "It is linked to a pivotal event in the Nazi movement's struggle. We first set foot in this city with tactics we later employed often - and we succeeded here for the first time."
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The phrase "here first" foretold the lesson the Nazis learned in Coburg; how to dominate, how to devastate an entire nation. By 1945, they had succeeded in such ruinous fashion that Germany was left a desolate landscape, decimated by the end of World War II.
The Genesis of a Dictatorship
In 1920, Coburg was a humble city cloaked in Bavarian serenity. After a plebiscite, it merged with the Free State of Bavaria. Nine years later, the National Socialists amassed a winner-take-all majority in Coburg's elections - four years before their establishment of the "Third Reich." The city's stunning transformation belie grim beginnings.
At surface level, Coburg seems untouched by history, its cobblestone- paved market square transporting visitors back in time as they marvel at the medieval architecture, particularly Albert's statue, unveiled in 1865. Queen Victoria of England graced the city for this occasion. However, stumbling blocks scattered across citizens' sidewalks serve as eerie reminders of the city's dark past.
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The Moritzkirche, an evangelical church, lies at the heart of Coburg. Martin Luther once preached there, and in the Weimar Republic, 90% of the residents were Protestant. Weekly services fostered the cultivation of a "healthy" German nationalism, a sentiment that seeded widespread hatred even among the city's tiny Jewish community. Though Jews accounted for only 1.2% of the population, their presence was a rallying cry for the anti-Semitism that was rife in the city.
The "Coburg Bloody Saturday"
Though not a working-class city per se, the SPD enjoyed widespread support in Coburg and even operated its own regional newspaper. It warned against anti-Semitism and defended the new Weimar Republic. September 3, 1921, was no exception: the SPD-led protest on Coburg's castle square aimed to support the republic and denounce political assassinations. Over 3,000 demonstrators gathered, but their peaceful assembly was abruptly interrupted when state police, armed with machine guns, drove out trucks and deployed roadblocks around the square. A standoff ensued, culminating in hand grenades being thrown and shots fired, dispersing the crowd. The death toll was one, with over twenty injuries. This was Coburg's first instance of violence against those critical of the Weimar Republic, orchestrated by the Bavarian state government who sought to maintain peace and order in the Free State, even at the expense of democracy.
More than a year later, on October 14, 1922, a special train arrived at Coburg station. Adolf Hitler stepped off with a band of 650 men, many of whom were thugs; their leader, a small, unassuming man with dark hair. This man was Hitler. The group was invited to an event organized by the Bavarian "Protection and Defense League" - a nationalist association that the Bavarian Free State allowed to function, albeit illegally. Hitler delivered his first major public speech on that day.
The NSDAP's First Triumphs
This event marked a milestone for the insignificant NSDAP. Not only did Nazis' Storm Troops, or SA, took their violent activities to Coburg, but the police stayed out of it. The SA's intimidation tactics and violent clashes with left-wing counter-demonstrators signified a new level of aggression, embodied in the NSDAP. Additionally, the first racist demonstration against a Jew took place the same day. Abraham Friedmann, a wealthy Jewish industrialist, became the target of 30 Nazi goons. Though he managed to escape that night, his confrontation with the local NSDAP group leader, Franz Schwede, eventually led the city council's dissolution and new elections in 1929 - which the Nazis would win. Friedmann fled to Paris in 1935, and later passed away in exile.
The NSDAP's influence in Coburg grew exponentially by 1923, boasting over 800 members. Aggression against Jews and Jewish institutions escalated, with incidents like smashed shop windows and vandalized synagogues becoming routine. The victims' complaints fell on deaf ears, as the authorities - even those up to the Upper Franconian government - blatantly ignored them.
The Nazis Rule Coburg
By 1929, Nazis' bullying, cronyism, and deceitful tactics ensured the appointment of Franz Schwede, the local NSDAP leader, as the mayor of Coburg. With the city under their control, the Nazis began implementing discriminatory policies against Jews and left-wing opponents, turning the once vibrant city into a hotbed of fear and intolerance.
Hate mongering production, Schwede's "The Awakening" newspaper propagated anti-Semitic and xenophobic propaganda, turning many residents against marginalized groups. The paper played a crucial role in the Nazis' overwhelming electoral victory in 1929.
In 1932, Nazi militancy culminated in the disbanding of the city council and new elections, which the Nazis won. Though Schwede became the mayor of Coburg, the repercussions of this political shift would have devastating consequences for the entire world.
The city of Coburg now confronts its horrible past with courage and determination. A meticulous scientific investigation delves deep into Coburg's transformation under Nazi rule, with its alarming details immortalized in a 800-page long book. Streets and squares have been renamed in honor of former Jewish residents, and a memorial route of Jewish life spans throughout the city centre. Over 140 stumbling stones remember the lives lost in Coburg's Nazi-fueled tragedies, and the commemoration of November 9th remains a poignant annual event.
For the citizens of Coburg, May 8th holds a renewed significance: a celebratory day of liberation from a loathsome dictatorship, a murderous regime, and ultimately, a liberation from a fascist ideology long ingrained in the minds of many Coburg residents.
- The European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission must ensure that Coburg's history serves as a reminder in general-news and politics, addressing rising xenophobic tendencies in public affairs.
- The Coburg mayor, Dominik Sauerteig, calls for vigilance to counter the resurgence of extremism and prevent the city's past from repeating, as seen in his speeches on the issues.
- Despite the city's cobblestone-paved market square, medieval architecture, and historical landmarks, Coburg's dark past is still apparent through scattered stumbling blocks as a sobering reminder.
- The European Parliament should recognize Coburg's historical trajectory toward dictatorship, understanding how the city's first electoral victory by the National Socialist Party led to Germany's devastation in WWII, marking an important lesson in fentlichkeit (public discourse) and more.
