In one week’s time we are going to have elections in the state of Bavaria, and unlike for many other elections here in Europe, the polls don’t predict a landslide towards the right. Instead the (conservative) party, the CSU, that had invented the ‘Beautiful Bavaria’ and for decades had all reasons to think itself being identical with it, will lose a substantial percentage of votes, and also the new ultra-right party with undeniable ties to Nazi-activists will not advance as it was expected but probably be cut back at least a bit.
The image shows a big banner with two lead persons of the CSU (who detest each other) with the parties emblem, the blue and white diamond pattern that is meant to reflect the Bavarian sky, surmounted by the hose-drying tower of the voluntary fire brigade, in the midst of a construction site. That tower sports a relief of St. Florian, who is invoked to extinguish fires.
Which again is interesting, as this party (in complete ignorance of the C in its name, which stands for “Christian”) was playing with fire when its leader redbaited migration as the mother of all political problems.
But the fire brigades themselve play an important role in our political system, too: It is not by chance that the most fire stations are built, renovated or re-equipped in election years.
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
Thank you for explaining the elements in your photo. The Trump campaign did will targeting migrants here in the U.S. Let us hope that falsehood does not work in your elections.
Good luck in the coming election! I still remember FJ Strauss from my time in Munich.