EFBI Policy Paper 2025-3 (ENG): Chemnitz 2025 – The Far Right In The Shadow Of The European Capital of Culture
In 2025, Chemnitz takes center stage as the European Capital of Culture. The city aims to present itself as open, diverse, and vibrant to international guests. Yet this aspiration is challenged by another reality: Chemnitz remains home to a highly networked and active far-right scene. This milieu seeks to exploit the increased visibility of the Capital of Culture year as a platform for its own purposes. Such dynamics pose tangible risks—not only to the city’s democratic image, but also to the safety of guests and, in particular, marginalised groups.
This policy paper offers a thorough analysis of the far-right landscape in Chemnitz, focusing on:
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Historical roots of far-right structures and ideologies in the city
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Organisational patterns and strategies used to maintain influence and recruit new supporters
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Presence in public spaces, including events, demonstrations, and symbolic appropriations of urban sites
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Risks and consequences arising from these dynamics for social cohesion and democratic culture
By tracing the long-term development of far-right networks and their ability to adapt to new contexts, the paper sheds light on how the scene sustains itself and why it remains a relevant challenge in 2025. T
The foundation for this policy paper was laid in 2021 with the publication of „EFBI Policy Paper 2021-2: Situationsanalyse extrem rechter Strukturen und Dynamiken in Chemnitz" That study has since been expanded and published in revised form as part of an academic volume. For the 2025 European Capital of Culture, one of the authors has revisited the research, updating and condensing it to reflect the current situation while making it accessible to a wider audience.
Beyond analysis, the policy paper also highlights the work of local initiatives and associations that stand at the forefront of democratic engagement in Chemnitz. These groups:
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Provide support and protection against far-right mobilisation and attacks
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Create inclusive spaces for dialogue and participation
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Act as contact points for anyone seeking to engage against extremism
Their efforts demonstrate a key lesson: democracy can only be defended where it is lived every day at the local level. Effective resistance to far-right appropriation of public space requires a broad alliance of actors—civil society, cultural institutions, and political representatives—working together.
The European Capital of Culture year represents both an opportunity and a challenge for Chemnitz. It is a chance to showcase the city’s creativity, openness, and resilience to the world. At the same time, it demands vigilance to ensure that this stage is not co-opted by extremist forces. This policy paper provides the tools to understand, contextualise, and respond to that challenge.
This Policy Paper was done in Cooperation with ASA-FF.
Über das EFBI
Das an der Universität Leipzig angesiedelte Else-Frenkel-Brunswik-Institut (EFBI) bildet eine Forschungsinfrastruktur in Sachsen, die demokratiefeindliche Einstellungen, Strukturen und Bestrebungen erforscht und dokumentiert. Im Vordergrund stehen dabei verschiedene Formen der Diskriminierung, die Strategien und Dynamiken rechts-autoritär motivierter Bündnisse und die Stärkung demokratischer Politik.
Pressekontakt
Pia Siemer
Referentin für Wissenschaftskommunikation
Strohsackpassage
Nikolaistr. 6-10
04109 Leipzig
Tel.: 0341 / 97-37892
E-Mail: pia.siemer@uni-leipzig.de