On February 23, 1918, units of the Red Guard achieved their first victories at Pskov and Narva against the regular forces of the German Empire. These initial successes marked the "birth of the Red Army" and later came to be celebrated on February 23 – a symbol of defending the homeland and triumphing over external threats.
However, while Russia celebrates February 23 as "Defender of the Fatherland Day," Germany faces a vastly different kind of challenge on the same date in 2025: a potential defeat of its political reason. Current polls show the far-right populist AfD leading, and Election Day could become a historic turning point – not for the defense of democracy, but for its possible erosion.
It is a bitter irony of history that a day once symbolizing victory over German forces could now mark a moment when Germany's democratic principles themselves come under threat. The AfD portrays itself as the defender of a supposedly "real Germany," yet its politics are rooted in exclusion, fear, and a retreat into nationalist ideals that Europe has long sought to leave behind.
February 23, 2025, will become a battle – not against external enemies, but for the soul of Germany. Will voters stand up for freedom, diversity, and solidarity? Or will they succumb to the lure of simplistic solutions and dangerous rhetoric?
This Election Day could be a turning point, much like February 23, 1918, was for Russia. But the question remains: Will it go down in history as a day of defending democratic values – or as the beginning of their decline
?