Ms. Buchzik, in your new book you analyze how people become radicalized.

The publication comes at a time when most probably know someone from their family or circle of acquaintances who refuses a corona vaccination or even denies the virus.

Does the pandemic encourage radicalization?

Natalia Wenzel Warkentin

Editor on duty at FAZ.NET.

  • Follow I follow

Many politicians and journalists have stubbornly claimed that mass radicalization took place out of nowhere during the pandemic. In my view, this is exoneration rhetoric. When something happens suddenly and unexpectedly, nobody made a mistake: nobody looked the other way, nobody reacted too late, nobody made it too easy for themselves in everyday life. But if we're honest, how many of the people around us who are now anti-vaccination or pro-democracy rants were uttering radical slogans months or even years beforehand? Have you agitated against people with a migration background at the coffee table, have you spread anti-Semitism, have you claimed that doctors have been bought by the pharmaceutical industry? And how many times have we ignored these warning signs? The pandemic acts as an accelerator,it reinforces what is already there.

What distinguishes corona deniers from other extremist groups?

From the end of 2020, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution spoke of “extremism sui generis”, an extremism of its own kind. Something that didn’t exist before. I don't think that's true. It is not without reason that we see so many right-wing extremists at the Corona demos. With Black Lives Matter or Fridays for Future, they don't bother. Because they know that their slogans will not fall on fertile ground there. In addition, esotericism and anti-vaccination fit perfectly with right-wing extremism: All of these ideologies believe in a natural order. In this order there are the chosen ones, the strong ones. Their immune system is of course also very special and virtually indestructible. Anyone who does not fit into this category is considered weak, sentenced to death - they cannot count on sympathy or consideration.We see the exaggeration of one's apparent superiority and inconsiderateness towards other people in all forms of radicalization. So this is not new. But not all radical groups use violence against those who think differently. Since the storming of the Reichstag steps, we have seen more and more violence in the scene, but also an increasingly clear commitment to the right. Some terms are relabeled in order to relieve themselves. For example, "Nazi" becomes "not interested in compulsory vaccination". Being on the right is framed as self-defence, as heroic resistance in a supposed left-wing fascist dictatorship.But not all radical groups use violence against those who think differently. Since the storming of the Reichstag steps, we have seen more and more violence in the scene, but also an increasingly clear commitment to the right. Some terms are relabeled in order to relieve themselves. For example, "Nazi" becomes "not interested in compulsory vaccination". Being on the right is framed as self-defence, as heroic resistance in a supposed left-wing fascist dictatorship.But not all radical groups use violence against those who think differently. Since the storming of the Reichstag steps, we have seen more and more violence in the scene, but also an increasingly clear commitment to the right. Some terms are relabeled in order to relieve themselves. For example, "Nazi" becomes "not interested in compulsory vaccination". Being on the right is framed as self-defence, as heroic resistance in a supposed left-wing fascist dictatorship.as heroic resistance in a supposed left-wing fascist dictatorship.as heroic resistance in a supposed left-wing fascist dictatorship.

What type of person is particularly at risk of becoming radicalized?