Thuringia introduces constitutional coaches in schools amid mounting extremist concerns

Ahead of upcoming regional elections in eastern Germany, state governments and federal officials are rolling out initiatives to counter political extremism and strengthen democratic education. Thuringia's education ministry announced a partnership with the University of Jena to deploy "constitutional coaches" to schools, aiming to assist educators in addressing anti-democratic tendencies among students.

The move follows warnings from teachers in eastern states who report an increasing prevalence of far-right symbols, Nazi salutes, and nationalist songs in classrooms. In a related push for historical awareness, federal commissioner for SED victims Evelyn Zupke urged state governments to make student visits to former East German memorial sites compulsory. Meanwhile, cultural institutions face scrutiny as the Alternative for Germany party in Saxony-Anhalt proposes defunding initiatives deemed "anti-German," raising concerns for local theaters and historical commemoration sites.

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