Eastern German states address far-right rise and GDR history ahead of elections

Ahead of upcoming state elections, political debates over history, education, and cultural policy are intensifying across eastern Germany. Educators in the region report an increase in far-right rhetoric and symbols among students, leading Thuringia's education ministry to partner with the University of Jena to deploy "constitutional coaches" to help schools combat anti-democratic trends.

To address perceived gaps in historical knowledge, Evelyn Zupke, the federal commissioner for victims of the SED dictatorship, urged state authorities to make school visits to East German memorial sites mandatory while expanding classroom instruction on the communist era.

At the same time, cultural funding has emerged as a central campaign issue. In Saxony-Anhalt, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) proposed cutting public funds for cultural projects classified as "anti-German," raising concerns over state support for Holocaust memorials, theater diversity, and Bauhaus heritage.

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