Inside Germany is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in Germany that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

Election race in eastern Germany heats up

With just over a week before people in Thuringia and Saxony vote for a new state parliament, representative polls have captured the tense political mood.

The surveys, conducted on behalf of German broadcaster ARD, show that in Saxony, it’s a tight race between the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). And in Thuringia the AfD is leading. 

READ ALSO: Far-right firebrand Björn Höcke draws crowds in eastern state

Saxony is currently governed by a coalition of CDU, SPD and Greens – a grouping that would no longer have a majority if the polls are correct.

According to polls, the CDU are set to secure 31 percent of the vote in Saxony, while the AfD is on course for 30 percent. The Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) Alliance are the third strongest force with 14 percent of the vote. The polling institute puts the Social Democrats (SPD) at seven percent and the Greens at six percent. Die Linke (The Left Party) are currently on course to miss the five percent threshold to enter parliament.

In Thuringia, the AfD, with its controversial regional leader Björn Höcke, could emerge as the strongest force in the state elections, with the party currently polling at 30 percent. It’s followed by the CDU with 23 percent and the BSW with 17 percent. The Left Party would receive 13 percent and the SPD seven percent, the polls say. The Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP) are both polling on three percent. The Left are currently in a governing coalition with the SPD and Greens. 

Alarmingly, support for Höcke and his party comes after high profile court cases in which he was fined twice for using a banned Nazi slogan. The state chapter of the AfD in the state has also been classed as extremist by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency. 

Yet many people are standing up to the far-right and sometimes in inventive ways. We reported last week how an orchestra group have brought their Lebenslaute (life noise) musical protests to Erfurt, the capital of Thuringia. 

READ ALSO: Why a German orchestra is using music to protest against the far-right

We’re yet to see exactly how the elections will turn out. The polls provide a snapshot of the political atmosphere but many people decide on their vote at the last minute. September is a key month for politics in Germany. And with Brandenburg holding state elections on September 22nd, all eyes are on the east. 

READ MORE: 

• Greens struggle against far-right tide in eastern Germany
• How similar are Germany’s AfD and BSW parties?

Tweet of the week  

We imagine ‘Mustermann’ could be one of the trickiest surnames to explain to German bureaucrats.

Could cause some issues… pic.twitter.com/CxOEJVe40r

— Tessa (@tessaapproves) August 18, 2024

Why are many parts of Germany called “Switzerland”?

From the Sächsische Schweiz, Fränkische Schweiz to the Holsteinische Schweiz (Saxon Switzerland, Franconian Switzerland and Holstein Switzerland), many parts of Germany are named after the neighbouring country. 

Overall there are over 100 spots in Germany that have “Switzerland” – but why is that?

It comes down to Switzerland’s beauty. The country is known for its stunning landscapes, including gorgeous mountains, blue lakes and quaint villages. 

Similar landscape features can be found in Germany, and since some of these regions are said to be comparable to the beauty of Switzerland, they were given the nickname “Schweiz” (Switzerland) in the 19th century, according to a report in Germany’s RND this week.

At that time wealthy people preferred the Alps as a travel destination. So if a long journey to Switzerland was too arduous or too expensive for them, they travelled to similar areas in Germany such as Gößweinstein, Waischenfeld or Buttenheim, which became known as Franconian Switzerland. 

Artists and writers are said to have coined the term as early as the Romantic era. 

But there are also some “Switzerlands” in the lowlands of Germany, for example in Dithmarschen, East Frisia or Münsterland. A pleasant landscape or grazing cows were enough for some locals to make a comparison to Switzerland and add it to the region’s name.

Switzerland’s beauty is known around the world. There are also destinations in the likes of France, Poland, Israel, Namibia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Haiti, Martinique and the USA that have ‘Switzerland’ slotted into their names.