Integration Nightmare

Over the past few weeks, some of my acquaintances have been interested in how antifascists and leftists are reacting to the growing risk of fascism returning to Germany. Of course, many would like Germans to learn from history and arrive at more humanistic views – but if wishes were horses. Personally, I feel that the current historical moment makes it easier to understand how the liberal Weimar Republic was transformed into a misanthropic dictatorship. And while yesterday people were still saying that voters supported the AfD as a protest against the political mainstream, today no one denies the sheer insanity of the political views held by a significant part of Germany’s population. Just a little more, and slogans like “Deutschland über alles” will return to the streets, while talk of deporting “half-blooded” Germans will turn into action.

All of this is obviously bad, but what are antifascists and leftists doing? From what I have seen here and now – almost nothing. As fascists have entered the political mainstream, street activists do not understand how to continue fighting fascists in parliament. Leftist parties offer an alternative: vote for us and everything will be fine. But these promises have already revealed their emptiness in Greece and Spain. As a result, many approached the election victory in Saxony-Anhalt in a rather apathetic state. Yes, there were demonstrations against the far right, at which liberals and leftists called for the fascists to be banned, but they seemed like one-off, rehearsed events. Outside the traditional set of harmless actions, German antifascists and leftists today do not know what to do next.

At the same time, some of the leftists I know reacted rather strangely to the situation. People began saying that, if fascism achieved complete victory in this country, they would simply leave and stop fighting. Most people have little idea where they would go, but the very fact that many are mentally preparing for departure rather than for intensified struggle does not inspire much faith in a bright future for this struggle. It is also rather absurd that, when I asked, “Where do you think German leftists would be welcome?” people naturally began answering for themselves personally, rather than for the community as a whole. A sense of the collective is largely absent from these conversations, unfortunately.

What else can be added to all this? When asked what to do if Russia rolls its tanks – or sends drones – into the Baltic states or Poland, I increasingly find myself thinking of a toxic answer: most likely, by that time Germany will be on Russia’s side, tearing Eastern Europe apart together into imperial spheres of influence.