Alternative for Germany revives Nazi-era attacks on Bauhaus

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has revived rhetoric reminiscent of Nazi-era attacks on the Bauhaus, a modernist art and design school, nearly 100 years after it was closed by the Hitler regime. The AfD, a right-wing populist party, has criticized the Bauhaus as "degenerate" and "un-German," aligning with historical Nazi propaganda that sought to purge modern art and architecture deemed "foreign" or "degenerate." This resurgence of anti-Bauhaus sentiment comes as the AfD advocates for a "patriotic culture" in Germany, which critics argue is a thinly veiled attempt to promote a nationalistic and exclusionary artistic and cultural agenda. The Bauhaus, founded in 1919, championed functionalism, mass production, and a synthesis of art, craft, and technology, profoundly influencing modern design and architecture worldwide. Its progressive ideals and international outlook stood in stark contrast to the nationalist and traditionalist aesthetic promoted by the Nazi party. The current AfD rhetoric echoes the 1937 "Degenerate Art" exhibition organized by the Nazis, which showcased and derided modern art, including works by artists associated with the Bauhaus movement. This historical parallel raises concerns among cultural institutions and historians about a potential rollback of artistic freedom and a revival of exclusionary cultural policies in Germany.