Right-wing extremism and racism have spread significantly in the city of Dessau, in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt. This has also become visible as graffiti: swastikas, pro-Hitler images and Nazi slogans are a common sight on the streets.

It's become a trend across cities and regions in Germany — especially in the east. Holger Münch, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, warned in May that authorities have increasingly seen a "radicalization of very young people with far-right views," some of whom are organizing to "commit serious crimes."

"In parts of rural eastern Germany, 'Nazi' has become part of pop culture," said Lukas Jocher, who works for Projekt GegenPart, a mobile counseling team that fights right-wing extremism in Dessau. "And it's become cool to write out that song, 'Heil Hitler,' by US rapper Kanye on a wall."

Young people who spoke with DW in Dessau confirmed that to them, being far-right has somehow become "cool." A 17-year-old boy who was walking with two teenage girls in the city center laughed when asked about right-wing extremism at their school.

"Hitler is glorified big time!" they said, adding that the Hitler salute is now a regular part of their school life and that it seemed normal to sing the slogan "Foreigners out!" at parties. "We just sing along," said the 17-year-old, who didn't give his name, laughing, "It doesn't matter what kind of music is playing."

Are hate and incitement the new normal?

How did it come to this? Young people rarely become radicalized in a single step — it's a gradual process.

Dessau, with its roughly 75,000 residents, is a regional hub that serves surrounding areas with its shopping centers, hospitals and museums. Cities like this are home to nearly a quarter of the German population. Following a merger with a neighboring town, Dessau is now officially called Dessau-Rosslau.

The reunification of East and West Germany in 1990 brought significant freedoms to the people of Dessau. However, it also went hand in hand with economic collapse, mass unemployment and an enormous exodus of young, well-educated residents. The city continues to shrink to this day.

However, authorities in the state of Saxony-Anhalt made massive investments. In Dessau alone since reunification, around €1 billion ($1.16 billion) have been invested in the economy, infrastructure and cultural institutions. Today, the city looks polished and well-kept. And Dessau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized as the epicenter of the most influential architectural style of the 20th century — Bauhaus.

Bauhaus stands for modernity, for new beginnings, for a better and more just future, for humanism. The Bauhaus movement came to Dessau a century ago, and the city is still shaped by its buildings and housing projects. Nearly a thousand international students breathe life into this legacy and transform the city and its university into a global center of teaching and learning.

Dessau plagued by racism and violence

But despite all of its investments, cultural initiatives and engagement efforts, Dessau has in recent decades made international headlines first and foremost for incidents of hate and violence.

In 2000, far-right youths murdered 39-year-old Alberto Adriano — kicking him to death without provocation simply because he was Black. Adriano was from Mozambique. In the aftermath of the attack, then-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder called on the public to show civil courage and stand up to right-wing extremism.

Five years later, in 2005, asylum-seeker Oury Jalloh died in a Dessau police prison cell. He had burned to death, tied to a mattress. Many pieces of evidence pointed to third-party involvement, but the case was never solved.

A decade later, Chinese student Li Yangjie was pursuing her master's degree at Dessau's renowned school of architecture. In May 2016, just before graduation, she was brutally assaulted and murdered. Two years later, Sebastian F. — the son of a police officer — was handed a life sentence for the crime.

Following the murder, the Chinese Embassy in Berlin issued a travel warning for Dessau, stating: "People there are traditionally hostile toward foreigners."

Mayor with a neo-Nazi past

Now, in 2025, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the second-strongest party across Germany, and far ahead in most of the eastern states. Extremist AfD politician Laurens Nothdurft was elected mayor of Dessau-Rosslau — with backing from other parties — in July 2024.

Nothdurft's duties include congratulating residents on milestone occasions and delivering speeches at memorial events attended by students. He has said he feels a strong connection to young people.

On May 8, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Germany and the country's liberation from Nazi rule, Nothdurft gave a speech in Dessau with students in attendance. Attendees remarked later that he did not mention German war crimes or the mass murder of European Jews. When DW inquired about the content of his speech, Nothdurft replied: "The core of my speech was to look forward — quite explicitly toward a positive future."

Nothdurft was a far-right youth organization leader in the late 1990s. The group, Heimattreue Deutsche Jugend, was banned in 2009 for its ideological proximity to National Socialism and the Hitler Youth. Technically, Nothdurft's AfD membership runs counter to the party's official policy barring individuals with neo-Nazi affiliations. 

However, when DW asked the AfD about the contradiction, the party refused to comment.

In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD won 37% of the general election earlier this year. The party has now set its sights on winning an absolute majority in the 2026 state election.

Citizens take a stand against far right

"Extremism is becoming ever more mainstream and becoming more socially acceptable," said Marcus Geiger in an interview with DW. He and his wife, Mandy Mück, are active members of the Dessau-based civic group, Buntes Rosslau ("Colorful Rosslau"). For the couple, hostility has become a daily reality.

"We've been insulted on the street and called 'leftist scum.' Someone once pitched a beer bottle through our window at home, and nails have been tossed over our garden gate," said Mück, adding that their neighbors also avoid them. "No one hears anything, no one sees anything, and no one ever comes by." And they've noticed a troubling trend: the aggressors seem to be getting younger.

But they're not alone: along with the GegenPart project and Buntes Rosslau, many Christian Scout groups, teachers and other individuals, the university and several schools, local associations, civic groups and even some conservative politicians are confronting hostility and hate.

Young people are also playing a vital role standing up to the far right, though they also confirmed far-right views are becoming increasingly common among the youth. "The other day, I walked past my old elementary school," said Sophie at the Alternative Youth Center. "I overheard some kids saying there should be a class made up only of pure-blooded Germans."

"Some days, you're just constantly afraid in Dessau," she added. "Especially on certain holidays, when there's a lot of drinking." "I only walk around in the area where I live," added Max, a friend.

"Many of us have had experiences like that," said Paul Nolte, who also serves as city council representative for alternative youth. "Timm and I were threatened with a knife," he added, indicating a young bearded man wearing a ball cap nearby.

They feel the situation in their city, and across Germany, is worrying. And yet, some maintain a positive outlook. "Every person counts in Dessau. You can make a difference here."

Despite hostility and challenges, none of them wants to leave. Dessau, they say, is their home.

This article was originally written in German.

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