Eastern German election debates heat up over education and cultural policy

Ahead of upcoming state elections in eastern Germany, debates over regional identity, education, and cultural policy are intensifying. Educators in eastern states report an increase in far-right student actions, such as illegal symbols and songs. In response to gaps in historical knowledge, Evelyn Zupke, the federal commissioner for victims of the communist SED regime, called for mandatory student trips to former East German memorial sites and expanded history instruction.

Simultaneously, cultural policy has emerged as a key election topic. The Alternative for Germany party in Saxony-Anhalt suggested eliminating public funding for programs it deems "anti-German," prompting concerns regarding the future of Holocaust memorials, theaters, and institutions like the Bauhaus. Separately, in Berlin, administrative figures revealed nearly 400 public schoolteachers have been on continuous sick leave for over a year.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, DW, FAZ, Tagesschau