With abhorrence I have followed the reincarnation of racism in Germany this year. Pegida (“Patrioten Europas gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes”, or Europe’s patriots  against Islamization of the Occident) has its origins in East Germany and, in particular, Saxonia, no-go area for all kinds of foreigners and first and foremost Muslims, where Muslims make up just 0.1% of the population. Inflammatory speeches on Monday demonstrations have led to dozens of shelters for refugees set on fire in recent months. Commentary sections of newspapers and social media have been flooded by hate speech, and all kinds of politicians trying to constructively tackle the refugee situation in Germany have meanwhile been aggressively targeted and in cases subjected to death threats.

Pegida’s new hymn sounds homespun reflecting their members’ and followers’ simplistic mind set. It is remarkable that Amazon has announced that it will donate the proceeds of download sales to organizations and charities supporting refugees. Well, the song has meanwhile been offered free of charge by Pegida’s leader Lutz Bachmann.

Rather than demonstrating each Monday in front of Semper’s Opera House, the people of Dresden are well-advised to visiting once more Mozart’s Il Seraglio next year.

31 December 2015 @ 10:01 am.

Last modified December 31, 2015.