The expert notes that the “cult of death” present in Weimar Germany
Voters who promote the ultra -concert in Germany: “All shit”
“History is not repeated, but often rhymes” or “History occurs first as a tragedy, and then a farce” – two of the most manic phrases when refers to a repetition of historical dynamics. The time when we live, with all the existing differences with the interwar period of the last century are accompanied by what happened 100 years ago. The progress of reactionary forces is evidence of this. German historian Sven Reichardt explores these parallels in what he calls the “rethinking of fascism.”
You are talking about “rethinking fascism” in the growth of reactionary parties and movements in different countries of the world. So many similarities between our time and the years of the interwar industry of the last century?
The fascism, which invents, differs from historical fascism in several aspects, among other things, because it does not have a culture of violence and no longer recognizes imperial wars of conquests, with the exception of Putin, which is a special case. And since he does not represent perception or has communism as an enemy, he acts differently than historical fascism. What differs from the fact that we currently do not have a big war from which fascism arises. In addition, we have another type of economic crisis in the 20s of the last century. Our society is no longer a classic working society (as then).
He just lists the differences between the fascism of the century ago and the re -invented in our bottom, but you also establish three common elements between them: the economic crisis, a reactionary refusal to transform the gender identity and revolution of the media system. What do you think when these three phenomena converge for “rethinking fascism”?
In the 90s, with the collapse of communist or socialist regimes, there was a kind of liberation, which Francis Fukuyama called the “End of History”. Euphoria for globalization in the world under the liberal order. With a change in the century, deep disappointment begins to gain a form, because social inequality in the world not only does not decrease, but also increases. And the West, instead of climbing, enters into decay. The new winner of this globalization or end of the Cold War was Asia, not Europe or the USA.
It also gave radical rights and their guilt of migrants for economic disappointments. Of course, this is also a part of the globalized world in which migration is growing. In the 2000s, social networks also began to have a wide impact, also on political discourse, which coincides with a decrease in high -quality press and the media. I would say that this is the time when these three phenomena begin to converge.
Speaking of specific figures: you see the similarity between Trump and Hitler. This is a rhetorical aggressiveness, the glorification of the right of the most powerful, ultra -nationalism and racist attacks on immigrants. Do you also see these similarities between Trump and an alternative party for Germany (AFD)?
Ideologists in AFD orbit, such as the editor of Götz Kubitschek and others, have long been distributed the great theory of replacement, which supports the idea of the disappearance of the white race. AFD leaders, such as Björn Höcke and Alice Weidel, also refer to this theory. Of course, these leaders also excite public discourse against migrants, they say about “men with a knife” and “scarf -women”, racist expressions that despise foreigners. AFD also talks about strengthening the boundaries, even shooting in them. It is also the glorification of the strongest, violence.
But Trump’s business is different. It is also due to the differences between the political systems of the USA and Germany. The leader of the leader works very well in the presidential system, such as American, where election campaigns are also very personalistic. In this sense, you cannot compare Alisa Weidel, AFD Chancellor, Donald Trump.
Trump has things in the Republican Party. If we are looking for a comparison between Trump and the European leader, then I think that the closest is Hungarian Viktor Orban, who put his policy as a president who abandoned all democratic control and counterweight. This is what he would also like to do in Italy Giorgia Meloni: reorganize the political system to focus everything on his personalities. But this will take years, because the Italian system is completely different from the American. Trump regulates executive orders, trying to avoid the entire parliamentary policy. This is a cult of leadership that does not exist in Germany and, I hope, never exists.
The Nazis are very successful in assigning new media formats, and algorithms reward them: the more emotional, the more dramatic, more sensational, the more clicks
When you are talking about the revolution of the media systems of the 20s of the last century and the current media revolution, could you say that Tiktok or X is similar to the radio and cinema of our time?
In a tickton, everyone can become a broadcaster. Obviously, this was impossible in the 20s of the last century. Not everyone then could make a film or radio transmission. Yes today, yes. What is comparable between the media and current social networks Emotionalization politicians, dramatization and visualization.
The dramatization of the contents was then achieved on the radio. New forms of reports were created, which included a direct collection of sounds or voices on the street and were transmitted by the impression that the audience was alive, a feeling of immediacy.
This sense of immediacy also has it today on social networks. For example, users of social networks may have a sense of conversation directly with AFD candidate. The Nazis know how to use these new media formats. They are very successful in assigning these formats, and the algorithms are rewarded: the more emotional, the more dramatic, the more sensational, the more clicks.
Other historical parallels that you draw between the fascisms of the twentieth and present century are an antiframic reaction and the rejection of the transformation of gender identity.
During the First World War, many women joined the labor market because the men were ahead. They also received the right to vote after the war. All this contributed to the liberation of women and made the cult of a new woman, self -confident, sports, young, dynamic, who was no longer a housewife or a man’s application. In cities such as Berlin, a scene also appeared QueerThe field appeared local for homosexuals. There was a metropolitan phenomenon similar to the current movement of LGTBI. In this sense, there are certain parallels. The Nazis describe the metropolis as black wells of sin, such as sinking civilization. And this is what happened then, and also is happening now.
These emancipation movements that pluralization of gender roles are innovations by which the concept Rottingwhich is faced with cities with rural areas, a tradition with modernity. It also took place in the decade of the 20s of the last century. Today there is also a crisis of classical masculinity. Then this happened to people from the Republic of Weimar, today it happens with calls InkselsMen cannot relate to women and who develop hatred for them.
He already said this before. The big difference that you see between the fascism of the century ago, and the current one, is the glorification of violence and the use of perception. However, we have already seen a violent uprising in the attack Trump in the Capitol of the United States or in an attempt to a coup Bolsononari In Brazil. Don’t you think that it can also start with reactionary movements from European countries?
I see a great difference between Europe and the USA. The latter is a country that is much more open to violence. Look only in the role that Hollywood plays and violence as a form of entertainment. This is a country where there is armed violence in which almost everyone can buy weapons, and there is a wide violence of radical law, such groups as proud boys or ku -club -Klan.
Of course, in Europe there are also places such as the House of Pound in Italy, and there are also Neasis and shaved heads, but the level of violence is less than in the USA, and this is episodic violence, it is not a strategic, directed or controlled party, such as AFD. I think that political violence is very delegitimized in Europe.
Imagine that Alice Weidel tried to conquer the Reichstag from 100,000 armed people. This will not work, AFD will lose your social support. This cult of violence and death, which existed in the Republic of Weimar, no longer exists today. This is one of the biggest differences between then and now.
If there were escalation in the Ukrainian war and, for example, Putin’s attack by Finland, then perhaps we will begin to get used to violence in Europe. European ultra -right parties no longer need violence to get to power. They reach this through polls. AFD is already about 30% of the vote in surveys in Germany.