The New Face of Racism in Germany

Berlin — GERMANY is not lacking in right-wing sentiment these days, but most people are careful about how they deploy their anti-immigrant rhetoric. And then there’s Björn Höcke.

Last month Mr. Höcke, a leading figure of the right-wing populist party Alternative für Deutschland, gave an openly racist speech on the “differing reproductive strategies” of Africans and Europeans. It was not the first time he had drawn on National Socialist themes, but this time he caused uproar, even in his own party, which has asked him to resign his membership.

There is more.

Accordingly, many sociologists tend to see the recent anti-immigrant demonstrations and the rise in hateful comments as merely an increase in the visibility of pre-existing racist thought, rather than as a sign of changing mentalities.

The same somewhat ambiguous impression is reflected in the polls. New surveys show support for the Alternative für Deutschland stagnating at around 8 to 10 percent. And many of its supporters are not racist per se, but merely fed up with the major parties.

None of this allays Germany’s fears. It is the lack of a clear diagnosis that is particularly disconcerting. It’s like an unlocatable ache, a pain without a name that makes you edgy.

Source:

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/30/opinion/the-new-face-of-racism-in-germany.html?_r=0

 

Reading this made me realize how many racist people there probably are still out there, even in politics. This makes me wonder how this could happen if you think about Germany’s history…