‘We feel the responsibility to act’: The German Grandmothers Protesting the Far Right

BERLIN — On the first Friday of every month, in a popular city square in Berlin, a large group of elderly women gathers around the iconic world clock in the center of the Alexanderplatz. The women meet to stand together in a silent demonstration and hold signs with their name plastered in bold black letters: “OMAS GEGEN RECHTS.”

The women form the non-partisan group “Grandmothers Against the Extreme Right,” which stands for democracy, equal rights, and respect for all genders, religions, and ethnicities. And every Friday, people have the chance to walk by, read the signs, and speak with the Omas.

The civil society initiative was first founded in Austria in 2017, after Sebastian Kurz was elected chancellor of Austria. Kurz is notorious across Europe for his traditional and national-conservative policies — the then-31-year-old campaigned on securing Austria’s borders and restricting the entry, benefits. and rights of asylum seekers. Experts have warned that Kurz and his conservative government represent a greater shift toward nationalistic and populist policies in Europe.

Across the border, far-right parties like the Alternative for Germany (AfD) have gained popularity through similar anti-immigration platforms. While many criticize the AfD as being outright racist — such as including “Why Islam does not belong to Germany” in their 2017 election manifesto, for instance — the party’s rhetoric reflects populist and nationalist sentiments across Europe.

But the Omas stand in direct contrast to these developments and have quickly gained popularity in the past three years, with factions launching across Switzerland and Germany.

The self-proclaimed “grannies” see their role as older women in society as essential — stating in their own manifesto: “We have learned from our parents what it means to live in war and dictatorship. And we are determined not to let it happen again. Many of us have stood up against injustice and discrimination in our youth. And we are now standing up again.”

Rather than retire, the group is far from idle, spending their spare moments plotting and planning their actions. And their age provides members with a unique lens to challenge the revival of far-right extremism. With personal histories inextricably tied to experiences with similar movements in the past, many of the Omas are far too familiar with the Nazi sentiments that political parties like the AfD channel. This exposure — this familiarity — is critical to defying the historical echoes of the extreme right. Researchers agree that “historical experience is crucial as we face the puzzlement of the speed of what is unfolding.”

Back in Berlin, in addition to their monthly protests at Alexanderplatz, the Omas have been organizing and taking part in demonstrations against cases of fascism, misogyny, and racism since 2019. Last April, more than 100 grannies pounded pots and pans to protest an inflammatory speech by a former elementary teacher spreading anti-Semitic and anti-American statements on his YouTube channel. The man was later fired by the school board.

Then, in September, the group marched in solidarity with a local synagogue following a tragic hate crime in the nearby town of Halle. Two people were shot and killed after a man with far-right and anti-Semitic motives had opened fire on the synagogue on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.

Regardless of what lies ahead, there is comfort in the way the grannies continue to act. Unabated by strict lockdowns (yet respectful of health and safety measures), the group continues their monthly meetings over Zoom and finds imaginative ways to protest, now standing at Alexanderplatz at a distance of 1.5 meters.

Women Under Siege spoke with Betina Kern, a member of the Berlin-based faction, about the backgrounds, actions, and stories of the group.

Women Under Siege: What drew you to political action and how did you find OMAS GEGEN RECHTS in the first place? What is particularly striking about this moment that called you to action?

It was my experience living in Nicaragua that drew me to political action. I lived in Nicaragua from 2008 to 2012. During that time, I witnessed how a democracy could be destroyed and turned into a repressive regime. In that case, it was the president himself who, step by step, established a sort-of “dictatorship 2.0.”

Returning to Germany, I appreciate our own political system more than ever before. [But] I realized that the extreme right has become a menace to our values — our constitutional state — shown not only by speeches and demonstrations but also by violence. I felt that society, as a whole, had to stop them. So, OMAS GEGEN RECHTS was just the group for me. It was not one moment that called me to action but, rather, a process of analyzing the situation and searching the appropriate civil moment to join.

OMAS GEGEN RECHTS stands against discrimination, war, and right-wing extremism. What can other generations learn from your personal experiences and memories of these issues?

OMAS GEGEN RECHTS are in a position like no one else to speak out against the extreme right because they know what it brings about. They might not have experienced fascism in person, but they have heard the tales from their parents and grandparents, or even from their elder brothers and sisters. And they might have "inherited" the trauma. Not even mentioning war and killing — the mere lack of freedom infected every aspect of people’s lives under fascism.

My mother told me how hard it was not to be able to speak out frankly, not even to her children. Because she feared they would, naively, reveal her adversity against the government. And one of my OMAS friends told me how it has affected the way in which she was brought up: having suffered so much from [her] lack of freedom, her mother was unable to transmit a spirit of happiness and joy to her.

Why is it important that your group is led by women of a certain age? How do you see your role as a so-called "granny"?

These memories are specific to our generation. So, maybe we know better about the dangers fascism brings about and are more alarmed when we see it spread in Germany. Consequently, we feel the responsibility to act.

What I like about OMAS GEGEN RECHTS specifically is that it is a non-aggressive movement. In times of hate speech, this is not only necessary but also — I hope — more convincing. People might be more prepared to listen.