The racist slogans on Sylt resulted in a shitstorm and terminations. Youth researcher Frank Greuel thinks this is premature. First, we should talk to the perpetrators about their motives.
Since the video became known of young people on Sylt chanting racist slogans, there has been fierce criticism of the incident. Frank Greuel, who researches radicalization in young people at the German Youth Institute, among other things, believes the shitstorm is inappropriate. He advocates a more educational approach. In an interview with FOCUS online, he also explains how the desire for provocation and right-wing attitudes encourage such incidents.
FOCUS online: Mr. Greuel, how would you classify the incident on Sylt, was it a symptom of right-wing youth or a stupid joke?
Frank Greuel: That’s difficult to say if you only know the video. There you see a playful use of the Hitler salute and hear a line of text that speaks for a racist attitude. If you do something like that, there is probably a similarity in content to ideas that are quite widespread.
I would still not see the scene as evidence of a closed right-wing extremist or neo-Nazi worldview. Provocation certainly played a role for the people in the video.
How common is it that young people want to provoke with right-wing slogans?
Greuel: Provocation plays a big role in adolescence. People want to distance themselves from adults like their own parents. However, right-wing extremist symbolism is only likely to cause this to happen to a small proportion of young people. The majority of young people have a sense of what is being expressed politically with such slogans and that this is ostracized.
If that is not the case, something like what happened on Sylt could happen. And the fact that we are now seeing a whole series of similar incidents in which the racist song is being sung may have something to do with a mixture of provocation and attitudes. Anyone who wants attention now knows exactly what slogans will get it.
A few weeks ago, a youth study sparked discussion, according to which the AfD is the strongest party among young people and has also become stronger. However, the study was also criticized for its methodological aspects. How do you assess the theory that young people are becoming increasingly right-wing?
Greuel: That is absolutely true, and it is also reflected in the election results. The AfD has seen astonishing growth among young people in recent years. But it must also be said that we are seeing a convergence between young people and adults on this issue. Studies on attitudes show that young people are not more right-wing extremist than adults. For a long time they were less so, but this has leveled out in recent years. But we talk more about young people because we are used to them having more left-wing attitudes.
Why is it that young people today more often have right-wing attitudes?
Greuel: There are many theories on this. The main thing, however, is that we live in confusing times, and crises and uncertainties are increasing. Right-wing extremism makes an attractive offer because it wants to transform a confusing world into a clear world – for example, migration is to blame for all problems. These simply structured explanations are particularly attractive to young people who are particularly affected by fears about the future.
What role does it play that right-wing extremists are apparently very good at influencing pop culture – for example by rewriting songs?
Greuel: Young people today have easier access to right-wing extremist ideas, particularly through TikTok, for example. In addition, right-wing groups are much more present there than, for example, the established parties. The short, attention-grabbing formats on social media are unfortunately particularly compatible with simple approaches to explaining the world, such as those offered by right-wing extremists.
What solutions could be used to keep young people away from right-wing extremism?
Greuel: This attitude is partly due to the fact that young people believe they have no influence on political decisions. But you can win these people back if they feel they are being heard. This can be encouraged from childhood onwards through education, for example by opening up rooms in day care centres where children can express their interests. For example, a kindergarten group could decide together whether to paint a wall green or blue. This also teaches them that they have to take other people’s needs into consideration. This also helps later in political discussions.
An extreme shitstorm is sweeping over the people in the Sylt video, their lives are being scrutinized. To what extent is something like this helpful or harmful if you want to get them away from racist attitudes?
Greuel: I think both are possible, it depends on the individual reaction. For some, something like this can certainly be a warning shot, they may then be surprised by their own behavior. For others, it radicalizes them because they feel stigmatized.
What would be an appropriate way to deal with these young people?
Greuel: It would be desirable if someone spoke to these people and worked through the incident. This could be teachers, parents, friends. One should not prejudge without knowing the exact motive. Only once this has been clarified should one consider what sanctions are appropriate. Immediate exclusion from the university or dismissal may be premature, even if I understand that companies act in this way for their own protection.
What should we learn from the Sylt incident?
Greuel: As far as the reaction goes, we should react in a more educational way and not just politically. Of course it is important to condemn these racist slogans. But we should make it clear that we are excluding extremism, not people themselves.
I would also like it if we got to a point where such slogans were already problematized in the situation itself. These young people were able to carry on celebrating unhindered without anyone intervening. Everyone is called upon to do their part, because unfortunately we will not be able to prevent the incidents themselves.