‘Swamp’ talk won’t turn the tide against fascism in Germany

I am infuriated by the tone taken by Fatma Aydemir in her portrayal of the area surrounding the German capital (Berlin feels like an island in a swamp of neofascism – but the flood waters are rising, 5 September).
I am a UK-German citizen who has lived in a small village near Kyritz in Brandenburg for the last eight years, after spending many years living in Berlin. We are about 90km or so from the capital. Yes, there are Alternative für Deutschland voters here – of many different types and for many different reasons. But the picture is so much more nuanced than that painted by Fatma, and branding our region as “polluted” does nothing to further understanding or rapprochement on either side.
This is a narrow, Berlin-eye view of life outside the city, and it is insulting to the many of us who live here who are appalled by the AfD – including many people who were born and grew up in the region – to be tarred by that brush. There have been so many projects here in my local area to welcome refugees, be it from Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan or Ukraine, and so many people who have taken to the streets in the small towns around us to protest against the AfD and fascism in general.
I would welcome an article from Fatma written after spending more than just half a day on a swimming trip away from her “island”, talking to the real people who live here, rather than picking up on tired old stereotypes and referring to my beautiful, diverse and vibrant home as a “swamp of neofascism”.Anna GüttelBrunn, Brandenburg, Germany
Katja Hoyer’s article rightly suggests that to defeat Alternative für Deutschland, Germany must address the ongoing inequalities between east and west (There’s only one way to keep Germany’s far-right AfD at bay. Address the concerns it exploits, 3 September). But it must also tackle the AfD’s attempt to appeal to “shame exhaustion” about nazism by re-versioning history. To do this, it must build a narrative where Germans can take responsibility and acknowledge the history of the Holocaust, while at the same time learning to find a new pride in their country.
Immigrants are part of this narrative. They have come to the country since the war and live free of the guilt that comes from having direct links with the German past. By being a home to immigrants and melding histories, cultures and stories, there is the opportunity for Germany to create a new and richer narrative for the future.Richard GrangeNewcastle
In Britain, unlike Germany, liberalism has never really received a bad name. The Free Democratic party has managed to poison the term by playing to its better-off, middle-class core voters and espousing a neoliberal interpretation.
As a former UK Liberal Democrat candidate, I find it is important to offer a social liberal alternative to voters to counter the rise of populists on both the right and left. Since joining and helping to rebuild a small German party, die Liberale Demokraten, I am amazed at how people welcome a sensible alternative to the established parties. I feel for voters who are frustrated with the sad offerings and petty point-scoring of the larger parties, and can understand why they seek a way to send a message to the establishment. However, as with Brexit, voting for extremists does not solve anything; it just increases the problems by not addressing the root causes.
Perhaps what the British take for granted in the Lib Dems could be a way forward for Germans, away from the extremes and back to the healthy centre ground?Steve BourneVice-chair, die Liberale Demokraten