Culture War Over Bauhaus Heritage Escalates in Germany
Ahead of upcoming elections in Saxony-Anhalt, the rise of the far right has thrust the historic Bauhaus movement and the cultural heritage of the city of Dessau into the center of a new political debate.
As elections approach in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt state on September 6, 2026, the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany party has triggered a new culture war targeting the legacy of the historic Bauhaus design school.
Elections and Political Atmosphere
As Saxony-Anhalt prepares to go to the polls on September 6, 2026, the far-right Alternative for Germany party leads in the polls and has the potential to win approximately 40 percent of the vote in the state, reaching an absolute majority.
Threat to Bauhaus Heritage
The legacy of the historic Bauhaus design school, which developed in Dessau a century ago, has once again become the focus of debate as it has been targeted by the far right.
Barbara Steiner, the director of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, warned that this campaign launched by the far right endangers Germany's open and liberal societal structure.
Local Issues and Social Reaction
Local authorities in and around the city of Dessau, local residents, and politicians from mainstream political parties are struggling with economic difficulties and population decline on the one hand.
On the other hand, they are trying to develop various strategies to defend the values of an open society against the growing political influence of the far right.