Gießen School Tightens Extremism Prevention After Nazi-Themed Abitur Vote

Overview

• An anonymous portal at the Liebigschule collected Abitur-motto ideas that included a Nazi-referencing slogan that received positive ratings before students halted the vote.
• School leadership says those responsible have been identified and the matter is internally clarified, while investigations by the public prosecutor remain open.
• Hesse’s education ministry reports that teachers addressed the incident in class and that the school is working with external partners through workshops and lectures.
• The school is participating in the Crespo Foundation’s Gemeinsam:Schlau program, with a trained teacher team running multiple anti-racism and anti-discrimination workshops alongside readings, memorial events and curriculum work on antisemitism and the Holocaust.
• The Beratungsnetzwerk Hessen notes record advisory requests from schools and a rise in incidents from classroom slogans to swastika graffiti, with experts urging structural preparedness and the school community considering visible messages during an upcoming AfD youth event in Gießen.