In Italy, concerns about post-fascism dissipate during vacation for some Germans.

From the Edge of Disdain

Vacationing in Italy alleviates concerns over potential post-fascist scenes.

A Column by Thomas SchmollA rebellious, uncensored perspective on life and politics

Who would forgo a sojourn in Italy simply because a prime minister deemed the EU and Germany foolish? Personal experiences matter, like that perfect selfie in front of the Colosseum, or perhaps a candid shot with the Pope or a rendezvous at the Piazza Navona. Once back home, one could always demand an AfD ban as compensation.

What sets me apart from Greta? Unlike her, I, a self-proclaimed bon vivant, was not invited to the Republica again this year, and could not utter any groundbreaking statements like: "Democracy is burning." Or: "Whoever controls the narratives, controls reality." Or: "We want to shape the good new times and show that the future of democracy does not lie in the hands of algorithms." Or: "Rise up, rise up, free German youth, rise up. For a better future, free German youth, rise up." Thoughts that resonate with my sharply critical attitude towards the establishment.

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I really don't understand why I've been disregarded, let alone snubbed, by the Republica organizers every year. I'm not sobbing, I'm strong and resigned to my outcast status, but I wonder what's wrong with me (and the world); whether I'm not woke enough because I start emails with "Dear Sirs and Madams," find gendering peculiar, can't speak High German, am too East German, too dull, too little migrant-like - my grandfather was merely Austrian; or whether I'm simply too insignificant, despite giving my best every two weeks to scale the mountain of enlightenment here.

Not Greta, though. I'm referring to the climate activist Swedish girl who dreams of constructing solar panels in Hamas tunnels from the Mediterranean Sea to the Gaza Strip with her LGBTQ+ friends, because it's vital to remember that there's no climate justice on occupied land. The Greta I mean had the "re:publica25" as her "initial major speaker event." It sounds like we'll be hearing a lot more from her in the future. "Currently, I'm contemplating whether to spend my semester abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris or at the Zurich University of the Arts," she declared. "Suggestions for decision-making are welcomed."

Long Live Alarmism!

Germany can't be doing that badly if young people of the next generation are ought to resolve such critical issues. I'm pleased to offer advice. I find Switzerland somewhat rigid and too polished, Zurich is expensive, too, on top of that. I appreciate France, Paris is the epitome of romance. So, undoubtedly, Paris. Expensive, yes, but not as prim and proper as Zurich. I've been to Paris around 25 times, and I'm always captivated anew. Just admiring Monet's water lilies at the Musée de l'Orangerie, Van Gogh's "Starry Night Over the Rhone" at the Musée d'Orsay, and Manet's "Luncheon of the Boating Party" at the Musée Marmottan Monet, is worth the journey. I offset my carbon footprint by using public transportation in Berlin, minimizing my meat consumption, and contributing to environmental causes.

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As you can see, I'm a lover of art and travel. Much like every year during the Republica, I too took advantage of my absence in 2025 to traverse the world, and found myself in a country that, according to the reports of 2022, was on fire or should be burning, at least in terms of democracy. A Hamburg news magazine announced just before Giorgia Meloni's election: "She is a neo-fascist, fought against the EU, and despises Germany." And after her victory: "The election in Italy shows: Fascism is not over. It is like an ember that can flare up at any time, even in democracies." Dark times ahead. Woman at the helm – monster. Italy is doomed.

Long live alarmism! Which I admit, I can't help but succumb to in these times. And now? Meloni is not Orbán, Italy is not Hungary. "A bit more Meloni might just be good for Europe," I read in a South German newspaper that is not exactly politically right-wing. A "neo-fascist" promotes the support of Ukraine, European-American cooperation, and Western unity, but rails against elites, growing polarization, and those establishment figures who criticize her. The Germans don't seem to mind the contrast. They continue to sing Italy's praises and feel right at home there.

Fear of the rise of fascism subsides when on vacation, I've always noticed. Italy experiences increasing tourism every year, despite the entrance fee for Venice. Almost 15 million people bought a ticket for the Colosseum in Rome in 2024 alone. Who would forgo a vacation in Italy simply because a politician espoused nationalist views and criticized the EU? In the end, personal experiences matter, the perfect selfie in front of the Vatican, even with the Pope, in front of the Trevi Fountain, and the iconic statue of David in Florence.

Living with Ambivalences

One can warn about the delicate balance, the personal political satisfaction before the rise of fascism in Germany, demand the ban of the Alternative for Germany, avoid visiting the United States, and shun WhatsApp as a means to annoy the AfD, Trump's harmonious peace, and American oligarchs. But forgoing Italy? We can make a temporary compromise for the sake of personal experiences. Wouldn't a property be wonderful? Now that the Italian population is dwindling and there are many empty homes for sale in remote areas? Everyone copes with their ambivalences as best they can.

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I was in a small village nestled on the shores of Lake Como - by the way, near the location where Mussolini, his mistress, and a few other fascist scoundrels were assassinated - and bore witness to the daily onslaught of German tourists on the local trattoria and the hiking trails nearby. Despite the saying that one should not judge people by their appearances, I can't help but believe that I wasn't the only German who wouldn't support the AfD. There were, for example, three attractive women who identified as feminist and strongly believed that there are more than two genders, and viewed capitalism as a bastard child of the fascist era.

For me, Italy felt familiar, like it always does. Berlin upon my return was no different. There's the teacher who, according to the protocol, was told by a student: "You're gay, get lost from here. Islam is the boss here." And there's the Green party member of parliament who promptly declared: "Homophobia is not a marginal issue, not an imported 'cultural clash', it is deeply ingrained in our society: in religious communities, on school playgrounds, in parliaments, and in the media." Clear enough, it has nothing to do with Islam, but rather with the hatred that exists everywhere in the world – certainly also in Italy. Nevertheless, I'll go back next spring. Unless the Republic demands that I give a lecture on how to save democracy.

The author, Thomas Schmoll, suggests that one might demand a ban on the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as compensation for not visiting Italy, despite a prime minister's unfavorable view of Germany and the EU, as personal experiences such as selfies in front of the Colosseum, candid shots with the Pope, or rendezvous at the Piazza Navona are valuable.
Greta Thunberg, a climate activist, dreams of constructing solar panels in Hamas tunnels from the Mediterranean Sea to the Gaza Strip with her LGBTQ+ friends, showing her commitment to climate justice, while the author thinks about spending his semester abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris or the Zurich University of the Arts, considering both options expensive yet captivating for their art and romantic ambiance.