Germany’s Firefighters Fail to Put Far-Right Infiltration Out

BY: KIRAN BOWRY

AfD's rise in polls partly due to Ukraine war and long-standing infiltration of volunteer fire departments.

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Germany has 1.3 million firefighters, including over a million volunteers, a unique setup in Europe.

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Volunteer firefighters vital for fire control and community life, serving as a pillar of civic engagement in Germany.

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Conservatives infiltrate volunteer fire departments, up to 34,000 extremists, sparking societal concerns in Germany.

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Extremist incidents in volunteer fire departments include political slogans, racism, and racial slurs, raising concerns.

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Stern's research exposed extremism in German volunteer fire departments, sparking a heated backlash.

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Backlash reveals organizational culture in fire departments attracting radicals, aligned with right-wing extremist views.

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Low ethnic diversity with less than 1% immigrant members and only 10.5% women in German fire departments.

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