Politics · Germany · 6 hrs ago
Hamburg school cancels planned student visit to anti-AfD demonstration
Teachers at Hamburg’s Goethe-Gymnasium planned a visit to a demonstration against the AfD for their tenth-grade students.
The event was part of a new democracy-learning module, intended to let students observe and discuss civic participation.
The demonstration took place at Jungfernstieg, where thousands called for a court review of whether the AfD is compatible with Germany’s constitution.
The school authority canceled the excursion, saying families had not been given enough time to prepare and raise questions.
The AfD had criticized the planned visit, arguing that a compulsory trip to the demonstration could breach political neutrality at school.
The school said students would observe the protest without being asked to take a position, but the planned lesson outside the classroom did not go ahead.
Hamburg’s Goethe-Gymnasium cancelled a planned visit by tenth-grade students to an anti-AfD demonstration after the school authority said families had not been given enough time to ask questions.
The school had planned the Saturday excursion as part of a practical lesson on democratic participation.
The AfD had criticised the compulsory visit, arguing it breached political neutrality.
The demonstration took place at Jungfernstieg on October 10 without the students’ planned school visit.
- Who
- Tenth-grade students and teachers from Hamburg’s Goethe-Gymnasium.
- What
- The school cancelled a planned educational visit to a demonstration against the AfD.
- When
- The visit was planned for October 10, 2026; the cancellation was announced before it took place.
- Where
- Jungfernstieg in Hamburg.
- Why
- The school authority said there was too little time to inform parents and address possible questions.
Goethe-Gymnasium and school authority
AfD Hamburg
Purpose of the visit
Goethe-Gymnasium and school authority
The school said students would observe and discuss a form of civic participation.
AfD Hamburg
The AfD said a compulsory visit to an anti-AfD demonstration drew students into a political campaign against a party.
Political neutrality
Goethe-Gymnasium and school authority
The school described the demonstration as a civil-society event, not a party-political one.
AfD Hamburg
The AfD argued the school was breaching political neutrality and the duty to present controversial issues fairly.
Cancellation
Goethe-Gymnasium and school authority
The school authority said there was insufficient time to inform families and answer their questions.
AfD Hamburg
The AfD had called for the compulsory visit to be cancelled.
The school’s parent letter about the planned excursion was dated.
Junge Freiheit reported that the school planned to require tenth-graders to attend the demonstration.
The planned visit was cancelled, and the demonstration took place at Jungfernstieg.
taz reported that the school authority had confirmed the cancellation.
- School
- Goethe-Gymnasium, Hamburg
- Students
- Tenth grade
- Planned date
- October 10, 2026
- Location
- Jungfernstieg, Hamburg
- Lesson module
- Demokratie lernen (Democracy Learning)
3 sources
What people are saying
An excursion on a Saturday and with the particular focus in this case of observing a demonstration requires information for parents or guardians to be provided sufficiently early and comprehensively, so families can prepare for the excursion and, if necessary, discuss questions arising from its subject with the responsible teachers.
Students must not be overwhelmed with a political opinion, controversial questions must also be treated controversially, and their independent judgment must be encouraged.
We are convinced that democratic agency is better learned through practical experience than in any theory lesson.