A key element of the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg action plan to combat right-wing extremism and discrimination is the Monitoring Centre for documenting incidents of far-right influence peddling and discrimination, as well as explaining the situation and supporting those affected.
With the Monitoring Centre, the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg Executive Board has created another university structure to help fight discrimination and generate relevant knowledge. The Monitoring Centre is affiliated with the Research Center for (Social) Education Civil Society Counterstrategies for Dealing with Right-Wing Extremism (FUR) in the Department of Methods and Theories of Social Work of Faculty 4. Its institutional setting ensures that data collected receives the most stringent protection.
Strengthening democracy by countering the influence of far-right actors
Right-wing extremists have been seeking to dominate Cottbus society for a number of years. The region is now home to a toxic mixture of militant neo-Nazi hooligan and martial arts groups, “Reichsbürger” (who refuse to recognise the modern German state), conspiracy theorists, right-wing clubs and the "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) political party. This complex is also economically anchored in Cottbus – with catering and security companies, music and clothing labels.i
Far-right actors primarily affect the city by violently targeting groups who need to learn strategies for countering threats and (potential) aggression. As interviewees in a recent study emphasized, “You have to learn how to move.” ii The city’s menacing atmosphere also negatively affects BTU students and employees.
Objectives & working methods
Although seldom mentioned, Cottbus has an active democratic civil society that stands against everyday racism and far-right domination attempts. It also works in coalitions and collaborates with the Cottbus administration.iii Like the municipality and the Carl-Thiem-Klinikum, Brandenburg’s largest hospital, BTU responsibly engages in democratic resistance. The dense networks we create strengthen democratic culture throughout Cottbus.
With its new action plan, BTU is assuming responsibility to combat far-right influences and make the university a safe place to study and work for all students, employees and visitors. A university should be an emancipatory site for open, critical academic dialogue. But equal educational opportunities only exist in a democratic nondiscriminatory environment. The BTU action plan focuses on shielding university operations from anti-democratic and far-right forces. It also aims to raise awareness within the university by discussing various forms of discrimination – an important first step in developing appropriate and effective strategies.
The Monitoring Centre documents cases of far-right influence peddling and discrimination, anonymizing and processing the data to create statistics, and publishing annual reports on the incidents. Such analysis helps us analyze the dangers more precisely and develop preventive measures.
The Monitoring Centre educates about sociopolitical and ideological aspects. Further training raises awareness about how to deal with the problem within the university, thereby helping staff and students to act appropriately.
The Monitoring Centre supports those affected, including by referring them to the Opferperspektive Brandenburg [the victim’s viewpoint] Brandenburg for counselling – and by mediating
We proactively address far-right extremism to safeguard and promote democracy at BTU.
We adopt a partisan stance to protect and empower those affected.
We enable shared and participatory learning on how to identify far-right influences, and we create space for confidential conversations and networking.
i Müller, Daniel/Zimmermann, Fritz (2020): The clan of Cottbus. Time Online. URL: www.zeit.de/2020/42/rechtsextremismus-lausitz-kampfgemeinde-cottbus-rassismus-brandenburg, 8.10.2020 (checked: 1.2.2021); Fröschner, Joschka/Warnecke, Jacob (2019): "What do I care about Cottbus?" Dynamics of right-wing formation in southern Brandenburg: The association Zukunft Heimat, Potsdam; Botsch, Gideon/Schulze, Christoph (2018): Die Sprache der "Asylkritik". An analysis of speeches at Zukunft Heimat speeches in Cottbus, Mitteilungen der Emil Julius Gumbel Forschungsstelle. Issue 4, Potsdam;
ii Raab, Michael/Radvan, Heike (2023): "You have to learn to move". Experiences of various affected groups with right-wing dominance in Cottbus; strategies for action and ways of dealing with it. In: Botsch, Gideon/Köbberling, Gesa/Schulze, Christoph (2023): Right-wing violence in Brandenburg. Series Potsdamer Beiträge zur Antisemitismus- und Rechtsextremismusforschung der Emil Julius Gumbel Forschungsstelle der Universität Potsdam. (forthcoming)
iii Nettelbladt, Gala (2023): Negotiating counterstrategies against the far right in Cottbus, Germany: shifting relations between the state and civil society. In: Territory, Politics, Governance, DOI: 10.1080/21622671.2023.2209126; Sander, Hendrik (2021): The other Brandenburg. Antifa, cosmopolitan places, solidary alternatives. Online at: https://www.rosalux.de/fileadmin/rls_uploads/pdfs/Artikel/16-21_Onl-Publ_Das_andere_Bbg.pdf.(checked: 10.1.2022); Lippelt, Judith/Schäfer, Jana (2019): The new Cottbus residents - or refugees after all? MIKOWA -
Research Platform Migration, Conflict and Social Change, MIKOWA Infobrief, No. 1, 2019;