So that indifference does not endanger democracy

Created: 03/31/2022, 11:43 am

By: Joerg Domke

Markt Swabian high school students show that it is necessary to actively support democracy and its values.

© Dziemballa

The current crisis situation in Europe shows it again.

Democracy is a fragile entity.

In Markt Schwaben, especially at high school, they are trying to ensure that indifference does not endanger them.

Markt Schwaben – When a little more than two years ago the head of the Schwaben high school, Peter Popp, addressed the opening of an exhibition with the topic "More democracy - fighting right-wing extremism" in the auditorium, his remarks were under the impression of the time current murder of the Kassel District President Walter Lübcke and the assassination in Halle.

When the exhibition ended two weeks later, there were suddenly attacks in Hanau.

And then Corona came.

The pandemic brought lateral thinkers and conspiracy theorists to light at the same time.

And forces that more or less openly opposed democratic values;

and often still ask.

Democracy is a fragile entity.

You have to fight for them every day

Democracy is fragile and always in danger, was Popp's message in January 2020. Two years later, nothing has changed.

It is still the task of each individual to contribute to democracy and its values ​​every day, Popp said last Wednesday.

In the evening, together with district administrator Robert Niedergesäß, he opened another exhibition that essentially deals with two things: strengthening democracy and fighting right-wing extremism.

What is new in the difference between 2020 and 2022 is that it is now not only about threats from within a society, but also directly from outside, said the director, referring to Ukraine.

And thus on those citizens who are fighting bravely for their (and our) values.

In the next few weeks, democracy education will be anchored in the classroom, according to Popp.

He referred to planned workshops, accompanied online games, conversations between students and a Nazi dropout or eyewitness encounters with a Holocaust survivor.

View of the new exhibition at the Franz Marc Gymnasium © Dziemballa

Numerous parallels to the exhibition two years ago

As in 2020, district administrator Robert Niedergesäß took on the part of speaking a welcoming address.

He underlined that the need for such pro-democracy events has not changed.

The fact that many of the 1,300 refugees in the district are currently staying privately is also a clear sign of openness and tolerance.

Niedergesäß also called for people to work more than ever for peace and freedom, tolerance and non-exclusion.

There are encouraging initiatives in the district, such as "Bunt instead of brown".

According to the district administrator, democracy begins in the family and in the classroom.

Specialist shows right-wing extremist tendencies in Bavaria

In his concluding presentation, the journalist Thomas Witzgall went into great detail about right-wing extremist developments in Bavaria.

And at the same time promoted a visit to the exhibition in the Franz-Marc-Gymnasium in the next two weeks, which was prepared by the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation.

Visitors can find out about the dangers from the right on six partitions and a media table.

Witzgall emphasized that right-wing extremism no longer only had something to do with Nazi Germany, but was multifaceted and often hidden.

This makes young people particularly vulnerable.

Right-wing extremism always has something to do with hostility towards democracy, with exclusion, xenophobia, trivialization of the Nazis and racism.

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