Holocaust survivor ‘appalled’ by prospect of far-right in power in German state
Eva Umlauf was two years old when she and her mother were freed from the Nazi death camp Auschwitz in January 1945. She says she is horrified to see that more than 80 years later, the far-right is once again on the rise in Germany
Eva Umlauf, a Holocaust survivor, expressed her shock and dismay at the prospect of far-right parties gaining power in Germany. As a child, Umlauf and her mother were freed from the Auschwitz death camp in 1945, and she continues to educate children about the horrors of the Holocaust. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's victory in Saxony-Anhalt has put a far-right party within striking distance of power in a German state for the first time since World War Two.
Umlauf, a pediatrician and psychotherapist, is appalled by the situation and saddened by the reasons behind people's voting choices. She visits schools to educate children about the Holocaust and serves as president of the International Auschwitz Committee. She worries about the impact on minorities and foreigners, recalling the atrocities that occurred during the Nazi regime.
The AfD, founded in 2013, rejects comparisons to the Nazi Party but has been accused of downplaying Germany's Nazi past. The Central Council of Jews in Germany views the party as a haven for antisemites and far-right extremists. Umlauf believes that the AfD's views are not shared by a majority of Germans, and she hopes that the other 70% will mobilize to counter the far-right party's influence.
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