Festival in danger: Jamel rocks the forester under fire from the authorities!

Festival in danger: Jamel rocks the forester under fire from the authorities!

In Northern Germany, in the small village of Jamel, a heated debate is once again brewing about the “Jamel rocks the forester” festival. The event is planned for August 22nd and 23rd, 2025, but the air is getting thicker and thicker. The Schwerin Administrative Court has already rejected an urgent application from the organizers, the Lohmeyers, on June 26, 2025, which plunges the future of the festival into great uncertainty. According to a report from LTO, the authority stated that no legal interest could be proven.

Jamel has been a neo-Nazi stronghold since 1992. Over 90 percent of the villagers subscribe to this extreme ideology. Historically, the community became infamous in 1992 when about 120 neo-Nazis celebrated Adolf Hitler's birthday. A ruling by the Schwerin Administrative Court described Jamel as a “village community” striving for a “nationally liberated zone,” which only underlines the entrenched local scene, according to Indymedia report.

Safe framework conditions for a multicultural gathering?

The next challenges for the Lohmeyers are already on the agenda: In January 2025, the Gägelow municipal council decided to charge fees of almost 8,000 euros for the use of the municipal areas, which were previously free. The organizers have made requests to avoid these fees, but so far without success. “The required fees are low in relation to the total costs,” said the court in its assessment.

An alcohol ban, which is also being considered by the district of Northwest Mecklenburg, is another obstacle in the way. This step not only means a restriction for festival guests, but also that two parking spaces that could previously be used are no longer available. The Lohmeyers have already defended themselves against these requirements several times, but in the end every urgent application has so far been unsuccessful.

A past year marked by resistance

The Lohmeyers, who withdrew from Hamburg many years ago to Jamel, which was permeated by right-wing influences, have tirelessly campaigned against the neo-fascist activities in their new home. This consequence was not without consequences: her home was deliberately attacked on New Year's Eve in 2024 when suspected neo-Nazis invaded her property with fireworks. Their barn also went up in flames due to violent arguments.

With the award of the Order of Merit of the State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the Lohmeyers could be seen as a ray of hope in an environment otherwise characterized by dark ideologies. Nevertheless, the future of the festival remains uncertain, not least due to a rise in right-wing extremist crimes in Germany, which peaked in 2024. According to the Verfassungsschutz, 37,835 right-wing extremist crimes were registered, a jump of 47.4% compared to the previous year.

The community itself is trying to send a positive signal against right-wing extremist influence with the slogan “Grevesmühlen is colorful”. But within the local population, the CDU and the AfD received over 60% of the votes in the 2024 local elections - which further increases the challenge facing Jamel and the surrounding area.

The Lohmeyers are aware of the obstacles that lie ahead, but their commitment shows that the fight against right-wing extremism in Jamel continues, even if the next steps are still uncertain.