Overview

• Police counted about 950 participants at an anti‑AfD march in Erfurt versus roughly 320 at the AfD rally where Björn Höcke spoke, with the Thuringian AfD classified as a verified right‑wing extremist organization by state intelligence.
• Church services, concerts, citizen festivals and coordinated sing‑along events took place across the state, with ten Thuringian cities joining nationwide joint singing.
• At the national ceremony in Saarbrücken, Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged a “new start” and renewed unity, while President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier’s visit to Mödlareuth highlighted the duty to safeguard freedom and democracy.
• Thuringia’s Minister‑President Mario Voigt described October 3 as a day of confidence and called for a “second Aufbruch” toward a strong, modern, future‑ready Germany.
• Cross‑border commemorations in Ummerstadt with Bavarian neighbors underscored reconciliation at a former frontier, and the state named an eight‑person citizens’ delegation to accompany Voigt to the Saarbrücken festakt.