German eastern states confront rising far-right rhetoric and cultural disputes ahead of elections

Ahead of upcoming regional elections in eastern Germany, concerns over far-right influence in education and cultural policy are growing. Teachers in eastern states report increasing instances of right-wing rhetoric, Nazi symbols, and extremist songs among students. In response, Thuringia’s education ministry and the University of Jena are deploying "constitutional coaches" to assist schools in promoting democratic values.

Concurrently, federal SED dictatorship victims' commissioner Evelyn Zupke called for mandatory student visits to East German memorial sites to deepen historical understanding. Meanwhile, cultural policy has emerged as a key political battleground. In Saxony-Anhalt, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party proposed stripping public funding from initiatives deemed "anti-German." Critics warn this move threatens support for Holocaust memorials, Bauhaus sites, and local theater venues amid broader debates over East-West identity.

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