It’s both a challenge and a great opportunity for this East German city of 250,000 inhabitants. Chemnitz, once named Karl Marx City when it was part of the GDR, was once a flourishing industrial center. But since the Wall fell, it has repeatedly made headlines because of its right-wing extremist protests along with racist and xenophobic attacks.

 

As part of the European Capital of Culture 2025 project, Chemnitz is now fighting for a new image and wants to clean up its reputation by making itself open to people from all different walks of life, ages, and nationalities by offering hospitality and cultural projects. Chemnitz is home to 10,000 students from 90 countries, has a lively club and music scene—and one of the largest Indian communities in East Germany.

DW reporter Shabnam Surita was born in India herself, and is on the road in the former socialist model city to meet foreign students, artists, skeptics and supporters of the Capital of Culture project. Can the city successfully rehabilitate its image?