Jamel rockt den Förster Festival Champions Democracy in Germany

The "Jamel rockt den Förster" music festival, organized by Birgit and Horst Lohmeyer, has become a yearly event promoting democracy and tolerance in the village of Jamel near Wismar, Germany. Since its inception in 2004, the festival has grown from a modest gathering of 30 attendees to an audience of about 3,500, featuring surprise performances by well‑known German artists such as Die Toten Hosen, Die Fantastischen Vier, Herbert Grönemeyer and Bela B.

Supported by the Wuppertal‑based communications firm Riedel, which supplies the festival’s radio and transmission equipment, the event serves as a direct response to the surrounding right‑wing extremist presence. The Federal Constitutional Court previously identified Jamel as a hotspot for extremist activity, prompting the Lohmeyers to maintain the festival as a symbol of democratic resistance.

The festival remains volunteer‑run, with the Lohmeyers continuing to host the event despite ongoing pressures, emphasizing the importance of cultural expression in defending democratic values.