1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
PoliticsGermany

Rise of the far-right — could Germany repeat its Nazi past?

28:34

This browser does not support the video element.

October 7, 2024

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party did well in the country's recent state elections, and has been on the rise for years. Some fear Germany could be at risk of reverting back to its dark Nazi past.

In the eastern state of Thuringia, the extreme right has become the strongest force in the state parliament for the first time in post-war history. The development has triggered comparisons to the rise of Hitler - it was in Thuringia that the Nazis first entered a regional government, just three years before Hitler took power nationwide. Some Germans are concerned that democracy is hanging in the balance. Hundreds of thousands of people are now taking to the streets regularly to voice their support for democracy and take a stand against right-wing extremism. But is the Germany of 2024 really comparable to that of 1933? This documentary explores parallels between then and now, and also looks at other events that took place in Germany in the 1980s and 1990s. Back then, neo-Nazis wanted to make the small town of Langen in Hesse the first "foreigner-free” town in Germany. After German reunification in 1990, right-wing extremist groups also became increasingly influential in East Germany. Is the AfD's election success a further step in the growth of the far-right in Germany and a threat to democracy?

Skip next section About the show

About the show

Close up — The Current Affairs Documentary

Our weekly half-hour program delivers in-depth reporting on topical political issues and newsworthy events. Revealing the story behind the stories, Close Up is informative, gripping and visually powerful.

Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW