The main square of Lübeck is very nice. It’s surrounded by nice buildings. And a church, the Maria church. The whole block is probably very old. Lübeck was the very center of the Hanseatic League, 700 or so years ago. This organisation was a very strong power, ruling the better part of the Baltic sea. Probably many a thing took place at this very square. Markets for sure. Maybe executions. This night there is a riot. Not a very big one, but still a riot. Nazis are holding a demonstration. Anti-nazis disapprove of this. They are chanting, loudly, and then decide to take it one step further, and teach their antagonists a lesson. Since they outnumber the nazis, the latter have to halt their speach, and concentrate on running for their lives. Many of them manage to escape. A few don’t. They are being beaten up by the crowd. One guy is lying on the ground, while several others are beating him and kicking him. The police is there, but they don’t seem too concerned about what’s going on. The whole thing is over pretty quickly. We never feel threatened or unsafe. If it wasn’t for the sincerety of the issue, it would almost seem like a nice little evening arrangement for the tourists. ”Tonight’s special! Riots for dummies!”.
Lübeck, Germany, May 1988
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