From the Complaining Corner: Anxiety about Post-Fascism Vanishes on Italian Getaway
Concerns over post-fascism subsiding during vacations in Italy
Article by Tom Schmoll
Who'd pass up a trip to Italy just because a leader thought the EU and Germany were dimwits? Personal experiences matter - like that Instagram shot with the Pope or the grin in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Homebodies can scream for a ban on the AfD instead.
Unlike Greta, I, a decent citizen and one of the remaining art enthusiasts in our extraordinary nation, wasn't invited back to the Republica this year. I'm not shedding tears, I'm tough, accepting my isolation, but I ponder what's wrong with me (and the world). Am I not woke enough for using formal greetings, finding gendering puzzling, struggling with High German, being too East German, too unexciting, too reluctant to embrace diversity - my granddad was merely Austrian; or is it simply my insignificance, despite my best efforts to climb the mountain of wisdom here every fortnight?
Not the Greta who dreams of installing solar panels in Hamas bunkers with her LGBT+ pals in Gaza, because remember: climate justice cannot flourish on occupied land. The Greta I have in mind grabbed the spotlight at the "re:publica25". It seems we'll be hearing more from her soon. "Currently, I'm considering whether to spend my semester abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris or the Zurich University of the Arts," she declared. "Advice on decision-making is welcome."
Long Live Alarmism!
Germany can't be doing too badly if youngsters, the last, last, or latest generation, must handle such problems. I applaud their efforts. I'd be delighted to advise. I'd recommend Paris over Zurich. Paris might be expensive, but Zurich is downright lavish. I've visited Paris 25 times, and each trip fills me with fresh awe. There's no need to travel for Whistler's remarkable portrait of his mother, Courbet's "The Origin of the World," or Caillebotte's floor washers at the Musée d'Orsay - the trip itself is worth it. I offset my carbon footprint by using only public transportation in Berlin and limiting my flatulence.
Politics Borders and Refugees: Meloni Calls for Review of Human Rights Convention As you may recall, I adore art and adventures. Just as every year, I took advantage of my absence from the Republica in 2025 to journey far and wide, eventually finding myself in the land that, as the 2022 news covered, was supposedly aflame with democracy or on the brink of it. A Hamburg news magazine revealed before Meloni's victory: "She is a neofascist, fought against the EU and detests Germany." And after her triumph: "The Italian election shows: Fascism is alive. It's like an ember that can flare up at any moment in democracies." ThatAttachment to melodrama!
Meloni isn't Orban, Italy isn't Hungary. Apparently, a "little bit of Meloni could be exactly what Europe needs," stated a German newspaper not widely considered right-wing. A "neofascist" advocates for Ukraine support, Western unity, and transatlantic cooperation, while criticizing elites, progressive ideologies, cancel culture, and hostile media. The Germans remain unbothered, continuing their travel to Italy unabated, feeling at ease there as before.
When away on holiday, anxiety about post-fascism fades, independent of personal beliefs. Italy witnesses growing tourist numbers year after year, even with entry fees to Venice. Over 15 million tickets were sold for the Colosseum alone in 2024. Would one truly abandon an Italian vacation simply because a politician fought against the EU and revealed disdain for Germany? Authentic experiences matter, like that selfie with the Pope, the Rome Trevi Fountain, or Florence's David.
Coping with Paradoxes
One may caution about personal political satisfaction before post-fascism in Germany, demand a ban on the Alternative for the Insane, avoid American travel, and refrain from using WhatsApp to harass the AfD, Trump's sudden friendship, and American oligarchs. But surrendering Italy? People make allowances for post-fascism in their own way.
Real Estate Real Estate Dreams: Germany Attracts Italian Talents I resided in a mountain village a few kilometers from Lake Como - by the way, near the small town where Mussolini, his mistress, and a few fascist comrades lost their lives. From my balcony, I observed the daily attack of German tourists on the trattoria and the hiking trails behind it. German tourists were relentless, regardless of their appearance. It's hard to believe I was the only German who did not support the AfD. There were, for instance, three congenial women who considered themselves feminists and firmly believed that there are more than two genders, and viewed capitalism as the offspring of post-fascist hell.
For me, Italy presented familiar landscapes. Germany upon my return was the same. There's the teacher who, according to protocol, was told by a student: "You're gay, leave my sight. Islam is in charge here." And there's the Green party member of parliament who declared promptly: "Homophobia is not an isolated issue, not an imported 'cultural conflict', it's deeply rooted within our mainstream society: within religious communities, on school playgrounds, in parliaments, and newsrooms." The situation isn't unique to Islam, but to the wicked existing in every corner of the world - definitely including Italy. Yet, I will return next spring. Unless the Republic insists that I speak on democratic preservation.
- In spite of political disagreements with certain leaders, personal experiences like traveling to Italy for an Instagram shot with the Pope or a grin in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome seem to hold more weight than feelings of anxiety about post-fascism for some individuals.
- Oftentimes, people make allowances for post-fascism in their own way, and surrendering a travel destination like Italy - with its famous sites such as the Colosseum, the Vatican, or Florence's David - seems less feasible than addressing political concerns back home, such as a ban on the Alternative for the Insane (AfD) in Germany.
