Collective Memory, Social Identity and Collective Future Imagination in the Crowd: A Case of Anti-Right-Wing Protests in Germany

Abstract

In the early 2024, over three million people in Germany took to the streets to protest a secret plan by right-wing extremists to deport individuals with migration background, publicised as ‘re-migration’. This situation offered a unique opportunity to explore the link between collective memory and collective action. Despite its importance, this connection has not been thoroughly examined, even though collective memory has been a well-established field of study since the early 20th century. This research gap has been highlighted in only a few recent publications. Using a crowd ethnography approach, data from two demonstrations in a mid-sized German city were analysed, incorporating multimedia formats such as images, videos and audio files, alongside local media coverage. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed that references to Germany's past, particularly fascism and Nazism, were communicated through collective emotions and social identity under the shared motto ‘NeverAgainIsNow’. The study highlights how collective memory and identity intertwine, influencing present actions and future aspirations within crowds.