Bauhaus Dessau Director Barbara Steiner Vows to Resist AfD

Barbara Steiner, director of the Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau, has stated her commitment to actively counter the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, asserting that 'Heimat und Handwerk geben wir nicht her' (We will not give up homeland and craftsmanship). In an interview with the German newspaper der Freitag, Steiner discussed the Bauhaus's preparations for a potential AfD government, a topic raised during the 2019 centenary celebrations. Steiner, who assumed her role after 2019, expressed concern over the rise of right-wing nationalist and authoritarian parties since the early 2000s, noting their strategic professionalization. She emphasized that cultural institutions must cooperate and show solidarity, and that the Bauhaus has built a strong network of alliances over the years. Steiner also reflected on the 2018 controversy involving the band Feine Sahne Fischfilet, which she would not have disinvited. The interview underscores the Bauhaus's role as a cultural heritage institution in politically turbulent times.