Timelines

Migration is a natural part of living systems, and human history is no exception. Yet it remains one of the most debated public issues of our time.

Both people and borders move. Who is allowed to move, and who is granted rights, lies at the heart of how nations define belonging. In Germany and the United States alike, these debates have been deeply intertwined with evolving ideas of race and ethnicity.

These timelines trace how citizenship and belonging have been constructed, challenged, and redefined through laws, social movements, global events, and cultural works — and how those histories continue to shape the present.

2017

Election of the AfD into German parliament

Launched in 2013 as a Euro-critical party, the AfD quickly transformed itself into a right-wing populist party. In 2017, it was elected to the Bundestag. This is the first time since the Nazi era that an openly right-wing, in parts extreme right-wing party has been represented in the German Bundestag. The AfD is characterized by racism, völkisch ideas, anti-Semitism, conspiracy theories and hostility towards established political structures and democratic institutions. The party actively pursues the goal of dividing society. Initially, the established parties spoke of a "firewall" against the AfD and ruled out cooperation. In the meantime, however, the clear demarcation is crumbling in many places. In numerous localities, there is now collaboration with the AfD, particularly at the municipal level.