In a scene that could well sum up the ideological confusion of certain European governments, the Ministry of Social Affairs of Thuringia (Germany) has granted an official democracy award to a group within the Antifa sphere. The group, openly surprised, not only harshly criticized those who gave them the award but also accepted the money, stating it would be used to cover legal costs for antifascist activists.
The award, presented on May 23rd by the Social Democrat minister Katharina Schenk, is part of the ‘Thuringia Democracy Award,’ now in its eleventh edition. Its goal is to recognize people and initiatives that contribute “to strengthening a democratic and open society.” Among the awardees is the collective Auf die Plätze, known for its direct activism against the AfD, its support of left-wing militant Simeon ‘Maja’ T., currently in prison in Hungary charged with attempted assault, and its rhetoric against the German “system.”
Three days after receiving the award, the collective published a statement calling the prize “a bit absurd,” while also lashing out at the same governing coalition that had given them the award. In their words, the executive’s parties had helped “fuel right-wing resentment” during the 2024 election campaign. They also criticized migration policy, the construction of detention centers for immigrants, the introduction of payment cards for asylum seekers, and even accused government members of openly collaborating with “right-wing extremists.”
Minister Schenk, who promoted the award, now finds herself in an uncomfortable position: she has granted a public prize, funded with taxpayers’ money, to a group that rejects her political authority and accuses her of being part of the problem. Adding insult to injury, Auf die Plätze announced it will use the money to support “repressed” activists, explicitly referring to Rote Hilfe (Red Aid), an organization classified as far-left extremist by Thuringia’s intelligence services.
