AND YOU THEN?

On 18.02.17, right-wing extremists from the III. Weg demonstrated in Würzburg under the motto "A Light for Dresden" on the occasion of the bombing of Dresden in 1945. According to official figures, nearly 200 neo-Nazis faced 2,500 counter-demonstrators. The party "III. Weg" is regarded as a catch-all network for comradeship activists and in right-wing extremist circles as an alternative after an NPD ban. Sprachrohr wanted to know from Würzburg's students: "Now, tell us, Würzburg, what is your stance on the demonstrations?"

MANDY,
STUDIES POLITICAL AND SOCIAL STUDIES:
"For me, it has always meant genuine political engagement to go on a demonstration, but over time I also had to recognise that the saying about a two-sided coin cannot be refuted here. Whilst I arrived too late for the official part of the counter-demonstration against the 3. Weg and its rally, I did accompany friends in the subsequent semi-official pursuit of the 3. Weg demonstrators through the city centre. So for me, an organisation like the 3. Weg stands for pure aggression, but I also had to discover quite a bit of this very thing in the ranks of the counter-demonstrators. What remains is the question:
Which purpose justifies which means?"

VALENTINA
(GREEN YOUTH), STUDIES POLITICAL AND SOCIAL STUDIES AND SPANISH:
"Demonstrations are a very important way for us to express our opinions. What is important for us is that no misanthropic opinions are spread. In this case, counter-protest is necessary. We called for and participated in protests against the demonstration of the "III. Weg" because it is important for us, especially in these times shaped by Trump, Le Pen and Höcke, to protest against people who wish for a return to National Socialism and an authoritarian Führer state. After Auschwitz, the only motto can be "Never again". The "III. Weg" is for us a neo-Nazi organisation that takes a positive stance towards the NS and, besides, spreads further racist, antisemitic and nationalist hate speech and repeatedly stands out with misanthropic actions – as most recently at the Würzburg carnival procession. We cannot possibly tolerate this without contradiction!"

MARVIN*,
STUDIES DENTISTRY:

"I would like to highlight two aspects, first, what concerns me: that is
the fact that around a hundred violence-prone autonomists used the march as an occasion to live out violent fantasies against police officers. But I do think it is good, of course, that the vast majority of Würzburg's citizens stood peacefully against the history-revisionist extremists of the III. Weg and made their position clear. For me, the saying applies: whether left or right – every extremist is rubbish."

*Name changed
JONAS,
STUDIES ANCIENT WORLD AND MUSEOLOGY:
"I took part in the counter-demonstration. When the German
population was portrayed as the sole victim of the bombing war, I felt sick.
I felt sympathy especially for the police officers who, because of this Nazi march,
had to work from Saturday morning until late in the evening without being able to
express their own opinion. On the whole, it is good that so many people
participated in the counter-demonstration."

NADINE,
STUDIES POLITICAL AND SOCIAL STUDIES AND RUSSIAN:
"I myself have never been on a demonstration. But I think it is good that
so many people stood up against the right-wing extremists."