As the Leipzig Book Fair begins, the New Right strategically utilizes literature to promote its ideologies through reading groups, reviews, and a forthcoming book fair. A research project led by Thorsten Hoffmann explores how the New Right reinterprets classic texts and engages with mainstream narratives to appear less extreme. Their initiatives, including a YouTube program, aim to normalize their views within literary discussions, culminating in an upcoming book fair designed to attract a broad audience without explicit right-wing branding.
Literary Engagement: The New Right’s Strategy to Mainstream Its Ideologies
As the Leipzig Book Fair kicks off today, it becomes evident that few notable right-wing publishers are present this year. However, the New Right has ingeniously embraced literature as a powerful tool to propagate its ideologies through various channels, including reading circles, book reviews, and its upcoming book fair this autumn.
A recent research initiative titled ‘New Right Literary Politics’ delves into how the New Right strategically employs literary works to embed its ideologies within mainstream society. Spearheaded by Thorsten Hoffmann, a professor of Modern German Literature at the University of Stuttgart, the project sheds light on these concerning trends.
Deliberate Reinterpretation of Literary Classics
Hoffmann highlights that the New Right intentionally reinterprets classic literature to suit its agenda. He points to the novel ‘Fahrenheit 451’, which depicts a dystopian society where books are banned. “These texts are favored by the New Right, who assert that we currently live in a dictatorship in Germany, claiming that rebellion against this regime can only be achieved through their movement to protect free speech,” he explains.
The overarching aim is to propagate the narrative that the New Right faces censorship and cannot express itself freely, akin to the characters in ‘Fahrenheit 451’ who are deprived of the right to read or own books, as Hoffmann elaborates.
Hans-Joachim Schott, a Leipzig scholar leading a group focused on Political Aesthetics, comments on the novel’s ambiguous political stance: “The narrative provides ample entry points, particularly because it doesn’t lean right. The New Right acknowledges this, positioning it as an artistic and autonomous work, allowing them to reference it alongside conservatives or liberals.” This approach enables the New Right to blend its views with more accepted societal narratives.
The fair features participation from over 2,000 exhibitors hailing from 45 different countries.
YouTube: A New Frontier for Literature
In an intriguing twist, the New Right has launched its own literature-focused program on YouTube titled ‘Flipped Open. Slammed Shut – New Right Reads.’ In this format, three individuals enjoy a glass of wine while discussing a range of literary works, including contemporary authors like Lutz Seiler and Iris Wolff. The hosts include Ellen Kositza and Susanne Dagen.
Ellen Kositza manages the publishing house Antaios with her husband, Götz Kubitschek, known for his far-right views. Susanne Dagen is a bookseller who owns the bookHouse Loschwitz in Dresden and is affiliated with the Dresden AfD faction. Hoffmann describes her as a pivotal figure bridging the New Right and the literary community.
“Through her bookHouse Loschwitz, which doubles as a venue for events, Dagen has established significant connections within the literary landscape, particularly with authors from the new federal states. This is crucial for the New Right, as these networks are being leveraged to attract supporters for their clearly right-wing agenda,” Hoffmann explains.
Literature as a Gateway
Hoffmann underscores that initiatives like the YouTube channel hosted by Dagen and Kositza aim to legitimize the New Right within the literary framework. “For years, the New Right has sought recognition as a serious player in the literary sphere,” he remarks, emphasizing their strategy of reviewing literary novels.
“This tactic aims to engage individuals who might not actively seek out right-wing content. When people look for book reviews on YouTube, they can inadvertently encounter right-wing narratives without realizing it,” Hoffmann notes.
Schott also expresses concern over this strategy, indicating that the New Right employs literature as a means to infiltrate societal discussions. “They aspire to argue superficially, akin to conservatives or liberals, to convey the message: ‘We are not extremists at all.’ This self-minimization strategy is particularly effective in literature, which is often perceived as autonomous and apolitical,” Schott explains.
Ingo Schulze: Trust in Literature
Ingo Schulze, a prominent East German author, maintains faith in the integrity of literature: “I trust in books. If a book is well-crafted, it cannot be co-opted for right-wing purposes. I have confidence in literature and in the majority of critics and readers.”
Having known Susanne Dagen for years and previously participated in events at her bookstore, Schulze has since distanced himself for two reasons. Firstly, he is troubled by the association of right-wing extremist Martin Sellner with the YouTube show under a pseudonym. “A line has been crossed for me,” Schulze states. Secondly, he is critical of the collaboration with Kubitschek’s publishing house, asserting that literature should not be hastily categorized as right, left, or center. Nonetheless, he continues to engage in dialogue with Dagen, including a recent discussion in the Saxon Newspaper.
Upcoming Right-Wing Book Fair in Halle
This autumn, Dagen plans to host her own book fair in Halle (Saale), titled ‘Page Turn’, scheduled for November 9—coinciding with the memorial for the Reich Pogrom Night. Hoffmann remarks that this event represents “new dimensions” for the New Right.
Unlike previous events, this fair will not be explicitly labeled as right-wing but will instead aim to attract “all readers.” Hoffmann elaborates, “This is part of what Dagen refers to as normalization. She seeks to facilitate the acceptance of right-wing ideologies without a clear identification as such.”