The Struggle for the Future of Görlitz and Europe

Yesterday, on February 19, I mustered the courage to stand as a candidate for the mayoral election in Görlitz. I did not do this as an independent, but for a party: the AfD. The reasons for this are multifaceted. On one hand, I see the so-called "firewall" in Europe as a great danger to democracy and social peace. Therefore, I am consciously aligning myself with the "sinner" to normalize the discussion with the "black sheep" once again.

On the other hand, I am convinced that the topics addressed by the Alternative for Germany are forward-looking: Europe needs a return to its cultural heritage, and the focus of politics must return to the people on the ground. Globalization has completed its cycle. Europe now needs a break and a clear "my region first" to remedy all the problems accumulated in each country. I firmly believe in transatlantic cooperation with the USA and do not want Europe to decouple from America. I want peace, freedom, and culture in Europe: no war and no authoritarian conditions. I am against the Islamization of Europe and for a clear return to our cultural heritage. "Europe is subject to the Christian child," wrote Gerhart Hauptmann, and a child "of Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem." Not Mecca's.

I am aware that the AfD has members with dubious views and backgrounds. But I am a freedom-loving person and believe that all dubious opinions can be corrected through democratic discussions and open debate. Every "heretical" opinion provides an incentive for discussion and reflection, and if it is wrong, it can simply be refuted with arguments—but never with bans or a witch hunt. Both radicalize and further divide society. I believe in the defensibility of democracy, which needs no guardians other than the Basic Law and the judiciary, and I trust that free people in free exchange of opinions are the best prerequisite for a well-functioning state.

Now Europe is in a great crisis, and I know that this year the turning point must and will happen. I wanted this turning point to begin here in Görlitz, which is why I ran for the mayoral election. I have summarized all my visions for this city on a sheet and presented them to the Görlitz residents. This city needs visionaries like Jakob Demiani, who lived in a similar turning point and saw the future. He invested in culture and economy and made Görlitz what it was around the turn of the century: an economic and cultural center, a rich and free city. Today, we need a visionary who understands that we must first solve the accumulated problems before we can look forward. We must return to our European cultural heritage to save the soul of Europe. Otherwise, a great war looms.

Here is my

Speech to the Görlitz residents

Dear friends,

exactly one year ago, I joined the AfD. Why? Because, like all of you, I see that our country and our city need a turning point. We long for real change. And because I believe in ideals like democracy, freedom, and justice—finally, because I see our future in great danger, which must now be averted. For me, this step was not easy. I am a cultural worker, leading the association Ars Augusta e.V. for the promotion of culture and intercultural understanding. I work closely with institutions, foundations, and sponsors—including supporters like the European Union. I inspire young artists; some see me as a muse. Right now, in May 2026, I am organizing the international song competition "Bolko von Hochberg" for the third time in the Görlitz department store—and big names are coming as jurors. My project is at risk if cancellations come because my membership becomes known.

Yet I can no longer just think about culture when our city and all of Europe are in such a hopeless situation. My "coming out" as a candidate for the AfD may shock and disappoint many cultural workers, but it may also inspire others to bravely stand for their opinions and follow me.

Because if war breaks out, no money will flow into culture anymore—but into armaments. This year 2026 decides our future. Everything will change if we act. God helps those who have a good plan—but we must move. That is why I stand here today. I offer everything I am and have: my strength, my idealism, my sense of justice, and my ethos. I want to set the turning point in motion—and I know I can.

When I told my family I wanted to go into politics, they said: “That's nothing for you. Politics is dirty, corrupt, full of intrigues—nothing for an idealist.” I want to prove to everyone that they are wrong! Politics comes from the Greek word “Polis”—city. It is the art of leading a city justly, transparently, and ethically. That's exactly what I want to do. My dream: If I become mayor, the changes in Görlitz will come so fast and visibly that all of Germany and Europe will look at us. Other cities will copy our methods. The renaissance that Europe desperately needs will start from Görlitz.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently emphasized exactly that in Munich: Europe must reflect on its culture and values, be proud of its heritage, and defend itself confidently. That's exactly what I want to implement here on the ground!

Born in 1972 in Wrocław, as the daughter of a Polish-Greek family, I have experienced the last 50 years of European history up close. My childhood memories are peaceful: in 1972, the border opened right here. My mother pushed me in the stroller over the bridge from Zgorzelec, where my Greek grandparents lived, to Görlitz—the Görlitz residents loved this dark-haired child, she told me later.

When I was six, in 1978, my father, a political refugee here, returned to Greece. There I studied agricultural science and opera singing at the conservatory—despite poverty, family violence, and parental separation. My mother worked as a cleaner to support us. With sheer willpower, I earned two degrees, got scholarships, researched in Vienna on ecological agriculture, and studied opera singing at the music academy simultaneously. I worked during my studies as a waitress, sleeper car attendant on Mitropa—experienced a knife attacker on the train in 2000, was later even beaten by the Albanian mafia when I challenged them to leave my sleeper car where they were robbing German tourists. In the end, I made it: I won competitions, got to the Accademia della Scala in Milan, started singing in opera houses—and experienced the 2008 financial crisis, when culture was cut first.

In 2012, I came to Munich, met my husband, worked as an interpreter for migrants—I speak five languages. I heard from migrants themselves that many ISIS fighters came with the migration wave. "Why is no one doing anything?" they asked me.

Finally, when everything got even worse, we returned home in 2016, 10 years ago—I am a living example of successful remigration. Home gives strength when the world becomes too chaotic. We stayed in Görlitz because Heinz doesn't speak Polish and because I love Germany—since childhood. German was my first foreign language. I learned it as a girl at the Goethe Institute to read Schiller and Thomas Mann in the original.

I fell in love with this city, dug up its history: Before the war, Görlitz was rich and culturally vibrant. After 1989, hope came that it could return—but instead, a sleeping beauty sleep: emigration, unemployment, indifference from western administration for the east.

But I am an Ossi and love the east—like southern Italy is the most beautiful Italy, just poorly managed, so eastern Germany is the most beautiful Germany. That's why I founded Ars Augusta: I discovered and premiered musical heritage from Dresden and Wrocław, translated theater pieces by Gerhart Hauptmann into Polish, restored monuments, cleaned cemeteries in Silesia, initiated the "Bolko von Hochberg" competition as a seed for a future major festival for the city hall. I received a medal at the Kraszewski Museum in Dresden for my German-Polish cultural work.

I know almost every monument, every association, every engaged person here. I saw: Local politics often ignores those who really work on the ground and gives money preferably to western imports like the Lusatia Festival. I successfully write INTERREG and EU applications, speak Polish and English, know about AI and the internet—all to revive Görlitz and connect it with Poland and Europe. Because Europe is our home, but we must use this chance correctly to strengthen our homeland, not destroy it.

My way out of the crisis rests on three principles:

1. Value the past—use our heritage as treasure and capital.

2. Remedy the present—serve the people here, listen, solve problems.

3. Shape the future—a clear vision for prosperity, good schools, doctors, inspiring places, start-ups, talent promotion.

   
   

Right after my election, I will call for an open week of Görlitz's future: All who love this city will meet and transparently inventory—what do we have, what do we lack, what is good, what is less good? From that, a plan emerges. We will bring in the best minds to advise us. I myself have many ideas for this.

The biggest problems: doctor shortage, emigration, poverty, lack of prospects, marginalized families. We need an administration that protects and loves those living here, promotes entrepreneurship, welcomes returnees—and breaks down the firewall in the city council.

Social peace is my first task—after Plato, the greatest duty of a statesman. The mayor connects his citizens and promotes cooperation between factions: he is no king, but the master of the citizens.

With what money do I want to achieve all this? I am convinced that love for people and good ideas have more power than money. And if an idea is good, it automatically attracts funding: because the money is there, waiting to be used for a good purpose. It depends on how you formulate a project and convince the sponsor, then he gladly pays. Investors are desperately seeking ideas and want their money used for good causes. European funding and structural change funds (Strukturwandel) are also looking for good ideas. We will use these funds—whatever remains—wisely.

The first years will in any case be years of savings: We will not build anything new, but first remedy everything dilapidated and problematic. We will care for the people, strengthen local forces, and support and promote the economy.

I plan to travel everywhere to find good allies for our city wherever I can discover something useful for us—at UNESCO, in the EU, in America, and elsewhere, also in the east. Above all in the east, in our neighboring country. I will open doors to all good investors and invite others with good ideas to come here. Future trends will be researched and developed here. Jobs and prosperity will be created. Cultural tourism and science will flourish. Those who left Görlitz will return because they will earn more here than in the world currently in crisis.

If I can achieve all this with the AfD, I am sure every city will follow my example. I will be the living proof that the AfD is not a Nazi party, but the party for renaissance, culture, Europe, and homeland. Peace and change will come in the beautiful month of May.

Thank you very much. I look forward to your questions—and to our common future!