This is reported by 45-year-old Frauke Wetzel from Chemnitz:
On Wednesday evening, I was assigned to the rally in the market square in front of the Chemnitz town hall. Last Sunday was already the first demo. On Wednesday, a wider coalition of more than 100 organizers called, including my employer, the nonprofit ASA-FF. Among other things, we support educational and cultural projects in Chemnitz that position themselves in favor of an open society and against right-wing ideas. Therefore, I am very familiar with the topic that is currently being discussed in the streets.
I had nothing to do as a steward. For example, I should have intervened in the display of political flags or removed glass bottles as a potential source of danger. But everything was completely calm.
The mood became euphoric
After 12,000 people on Sunday, there were about 2,500 attendees on Wednesday night. I think some people were a little disappointed at first, but then the mood became quite euphoric and the market place was quite full. There were many older people there, some with their grandchildren, which I guess did not happen so often in this community. Overall, it was a broad audience, many of whom I haven't seen before at a demo with a similar focus: including people wearing kippa, students apparently following the Fridays for Future call, people with disabilities.
The mayor of Chemnitz said in his speech that now is the time to stand together, help shape things, make cosmopolitan Chemnitz visible. There was a lot of applause for that. During the demo, everyone present looked at the stage as they watched the display, counting down the days until Chemnitz became the European Capital of Culture. On January 18, 2025, the time has come, on Wednesday there were probably 355. This Chemnitz does exist, cultured, open, curious and in a good mood!
This text is from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.
For example, I noticed that a small private theater invited people to participate in demonstrations after the shows last weekend. As a result, they lost their support association members who denounced the lack of neutrality. But I perceive this positioning of the theater management as a rise, as a clear stand for their point of view. There is an emergency here right now.
Where are the companies actually located?
But what really struck me for the first time: where are all the businesses? Are they simply not there because no one asked them if they wanted to join? While listing the supporters, I really remembered Bruno's banana shop in Chemnitz. It is an underwear brand from the region. Other medium-sized companies should also probably commit to an open society. They all depend on hiring people from other countries. We always hear that it is not easy to get skilled workers interested in moving to Chemnitz.
Since the violent riots of 2018, many people outside of Saxony have dismissed Chemnitz as a far-right town, and in fact there are many violent neo-Nazis. Every Monday evening, sometimes 100 but often 500 people march around the Nischel, a huge Karl Marx head in the center of Chemnitz. They carry “Free Saxon” and Identity Movement flags and their protest is against “those up there”.