The Weekend Intelligence: Detoxified

The rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the country's eastern states forces a confrontation with the legacy of the Nazi era and the persistent socio-political divide between East and West. At the center of this tension is the Die Das Design Academy in Saaleck, a project housed in a former estate of Nazi ideologue Paul Schulze-Naumburg. By transforming a site of historical trauma into an international hub for creative collaboration, the academy attempts to "detoxify" a contested space rather than bury its past. While some locals view such projects as detached, metropolitan interference, the initiative highlights the broader struggle to reconcile Germany’s national identity with its history. Ultimately, the project serves as a microcosm for the nation’s ongoing debate over whether to move past the "cult of guilt" or continue to confront the complexities of its dark history.