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Right-Wing ‘Seitenwechsel’ Book Fair Draws Thousands in Halle Despite Protests

Organizers used a broad mix of conservative and extremist exhibitors to project normalcy, deliberately avoiding divisive foreign-policy topics.

Overview

  • The weekend event drew several thousand attendees, with organizers claiming about 6,000 visitors and reporting full halls and overflow at sessions.
  • Speakers included Hans-Georg Maaßen, Uwe Tellkamp, Alexander Gauland and Götz Kubitschek, alongside exhibitors such as Antaios, Jungeuropa and Compact.
  • Reporters observed a family-leaning crowd that mixed conservative audiences with Identitarian activists and esoteric and military‑history vendors, which experts framed as a normalization strategy.
  • About 700 people demonstrated near the venue, and Green state legislator Sebastian Striegel was attacked and injured during a protest, according to police.
  • Onstage, Gauland described Hitler as a “Betriebsunfall” of German history, while supporters called the fair a “Dammbruch,” as coverage split sharply and a city-backed counter-festival reported strong turnout.