German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer vows cultural fight against AfD

Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer warned that Germany risks sliding to the far right and announced a personal “cultural fight” against the Alternative for Germany (AfD). He told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, “I am not an ideologue… I am a culture fighter against the AfD,” stressing that his campaign will focus on an intellectual‑cultural approach to counter right‑wing extremism.

Weimer highlighted the threat to cultural heritage in Saxony‑Anhalt ahead of the state election on 6 September, where the AfD is leading in polls. He cited the Bauhaus Dessau, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as an example of culture that could be endangered, accusing the AfD of “direct continuity with the Nazis.” The minister said he intends to serve only one legislative term, citing the negative energy of political work and the need to protect his family time.