Kraftwerk's Bauhaus Concerts: A Political Statement Against AfD
On August 28 and 29, 2023, Kraftwerk held two concerts at the Bauhaus building located in Dessau-Rosslau, Saxony-Anhalt, just days before the state election set for September 6. These performances were interpreted as a political stance against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has targeted the Bauhaus in its cultural agenda. Approximately 2,000 fans gathered to experience a setlist that featured 'Trans Europa Express' and 'Das Model', with Ralf Hütter (80) at the helm. The concerts drew attention to the historical parallels between the Bauhaus's relocation from Weimar in 1925 due to right-wing pressures and the current actions of the AfD, promoting values of clarity, progress, and technology under the hashtag '#moderndenken'.
Key facts
- Kraftwerk performed two concerts at the Bauhaus building in Dessau-Rosslau, Germany.
- The concerts took place on the weekend before the Saxony-Anhalt state election on September 6.
- The Bauhaus building was illuminated in Kraftwerk's signature colors: red and blue.
- Approximately 2,000 people attended the concerts.
- Ralf Hütter, founding member, is 80 years old.
- The Bauhaus moved from Weimar to Dessau in 1925 due to political pressure from right-wing parties.
- The AfD's state program describes the Bauhaus as the 'wrong path of modernity'.
- Kraftwerk's music has influenced hip-hop and techno, including artists like Afrika Bambaataa and Juan Atkins.
Entities
Artists
- Ralf Hütter
- Florian Schneider
- Karl Bartos
- Wolfgang Flür
- Afrika Bambaataa
- Juan Atkins
- Kraftwerk
- Walter Gropius
Institutions
- Kraftwerk
- Bauhaus
- AfD
- Völkische Liste
- NSDAP
- Bauhaus Dessau
- Der Freitag
Locations
- Dessau-Rosslau
- Germany
- Saxony-Anhalt
- Weimar
- Thuringia
- Berlin
- Dessau