“People need to get up from their couches”
Astrid Hölzel-Amer (62) from Munich was already at the demo at the Victory Gate. “I feel like people are starting to realize that they need to get up from their couches.” And it was already part of the fairy lights in the 90s, “of course!” Now she hopes that more people will come to the sea of lights – “there’s not that much going on yet,” she says shortly before the start with the lamp in her hands.
“The AfD suddenly got a lot of votes”
Four students walk down the stairs of the Bavaria Hall of Fame. You have watched the sea of lights from above and now want to get closer to the stage. Ines (16), Sahara (15), Sierra (11), Savannah (13) came especially from the Munich area to Theresienwiese to make a statement. Sierra, the youngest of the group, finds the AfD mean and xenophobic. Sahara talks about the last junior election at her high school: “The AfD suddenly got a lot of votes.” Ines adds: “We are here because we want to maintain hope in the young generation.”
Children are also repeatedly confronted with right-wing violence
Angela Rode (36), Nina (12), Julia Blömer (43) and Hannah (3) were already at the last demo. It is important for the two mothers to take their children with them to demonstrations against right-wing extremism: “It affects our children just as much as it affects us. This is their future!” Especially in the city, it often happens that children experience situations of right-wing violence. The two mothers are here today so that their children can stand up against the right in such cases and find the right words.
“The country would stand still”
Sabine Kirstein (59) from Munich has a special sign attached to a broom. She then calls for cleanliness: “Keep this planet blue and Nazi-free.” She has been attending demonstrations against right-wing extremism for years. And even today she believes: “It’s not a day too early to stand up for democracy.” She was also at the last rally at the Siegestor, and since then she has observed a positive push towards the right across society. She is still shocked by the “remigration” plans of the AfD and the right: “You have to imagine that. A country without people with a migration background – the country would stand still.”
“Someone shouted ‘foreigners out’ and no one said anything”
Sophia (17) from Munich, Sophia (17) from Freising and Siri (16) from Munich were on Theresienwiese an hour before the demonstration began. You are part of the awareness team. If someone witnesses or experiences an assault, they are there. All three are active against the right: in “Fridays for Future”, in Antifa and in the Youth City Council. They are here today because they are also observing a shift to the right in their age group. On social media, but also last weekend at a carnival parade. Sophia says: “Someone shouted ‘foreigners out’ and no one said anything.”
When relatives become “lateral thinkers”.
Esther Ludwig and Gregor Naujoks (both 20) from Munich missed the most recent rally at Victory Gate three weeks ago. They were sick, but they would definitely have been there. It is very important for Gregor to be here. Since 2020, a close relative has been drifting to the right and counts herself as part of the “lateral thinker” movement: “For me, it is a personal concern to send as many signals against the right as possible.”
Overwhelmed by emotions
Thomas Mitter (46) is overwhelmed by the crowds and his emotions. With tears in his eyes, he says that he unfortunately couldn’t be there for the demonstration at the Siegestor: “But now I’m here, and so are so many other people. I just think that’s great!”
“Excluding people because of cultural differences is stupid”
Azmaeen (26) has been living in Munich for three months. He comes from Bangladesh, “a million miles away.” He studies computer science at the Technical University of Munich. He knows about today’s event thanks to an Instagram post from MVG. He came alone because the idea of the “Sea of Lights” is close to his heart: “Excluding people because of their cultural differences is stupid. No one is worth less than the other.” Azmaeen is aware of what German society is currently discussing: “The AfD and their fantasy of ‘remigration’ scare me.”