Bauhaus becomes cultural flashpoint in Germany's state election
Germany's far-right AfD has made the iconic Bauhaus movement a target ahead of a state election that could see the party take power for the first time since WWII.
Nearly a century after the Nazis forced its closure, the Bauhaus school of design has re-emerged as a cultural battleground in Germany. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has attacked the movement as an "aberration of modernism" ahead of a landmark state election in Saxony-Anhalt, where the party hopes to secure an absolute majority.
The Bauhaus, founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius, revolutionised the relationship between art and industry, leaving an enduring imprint on global design. Its Dessau campus remains a major cultural draw, attracting visitors to its iconic buildings and museum. The party's election programme criticises the school for allegedly avoiding "any sign of national rootedness," and has proposed replacing the state's "Think Modern" slogan with "Think German."
AfD lead candidate Ullrich Siegmund has sought to soften the party's stance, telling supporters that "the Bauhaus isn't a problem," but insisting that Germany's cultural identity extends far beyond it. However, cultural leaders see a more sinister pattern. Barbara Steiner, director of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, said the accusations are "very stereotypical" and describe "a Bauhaus that never existed historically."
Brigitte Franzen of the Bauhaus Archive drew direct parallels with the past, noting the party's language mirrors "texts by the National Socialists." Germany's Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer has vowed to defend the institution, warning that "today we have new Nazis" and confirming federal funding would continue to protect the Bauhaus Foundation's independence even if the AfD wins the election.