Bollwerk

BOLLWERK follows three protagonists over the course of a summer as they go about their work in the small Saxon town of Wurzen, offering an intimate and authentic portrayal of efforts to defend democracy, life in East German small towns, and the importance of civil society engagement.

Across Europe, right-wing and conservative movements are gaining strength. Germany, too, is facing the significant success of a right-wing populist party that has been officially classified as far-right extremist in several federal states. While protests quickly form and large numbers gather in left-leaning major cities, pro-democracy work in other regions faces very different challenges. In rural areas of eastern Germany in particular, activists who stand up against the far right must repeatedly contend with backlash both online and in the streets. This ranges from insults and hostility to physical attacks and death threats.

“Nazis” is easier to shout where there are none, once sang the Chemnitz band Kraftklub. But how easy is it to shout “Nazis out” in places where they are actually present?