In a shocking incident that has sparked outrage in the small town of Sebnitz, a roofing company has come under fire for publishing a racist advertisement in the local Amtsblatt. The ad, seeking apprentices for 2026, explicitly stated, "no Hakennasen, Bimbos, or Zeppelträger!"—terms widely recognized as derogatory references to Jews, Black individuals, and possibly Indians.
The advertisement, placed by a local Dachdeckermeister, Ronney W., has drawn condemnation from various quarters, including the town's mayor, Ronald Kretzschmar, who described the ad as "beschämend und untragbar" (embarrassing and unacceptable). Kretzschmar emphasized that such hateful expressions have no place in their community, stating, "Volksverhetzung, Antisemitismus und Ausländerfeindlichkeit haben bei uns keinen Platz und werden in jeder Form abgelehnt," which translates to "Incitement to hatred, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia have no place here and are rejected in every form."
The mayor explained that the city is only responsible for the editorial part of the Amtsblatt and that the advertisements are booked privately through the Wittich Verlag, which publishes the Grenzblatt. "Unfortunately, we do not see such ads as they are booked privately," Kretzschmar added, acknowledging a failure on the part of the publishing house to prevent the ad's publication.
In light of the incident, Kretzschmar has filed a complaint against Ronney W. and the publishing company. The entire city council, along with local leaders, expressed shock and dismay at the ad's content. The city is currently in discussions with the Wittich Verlag to address the consequences of this incident.
The Wittich Verlag has distanced itself from the advertisement, calling it a "schwerwiegender Fehler" (serious mistake) and has apologized for the oversight. They have stated that internal processes will be reviewed to ensure such an incident does not happen again and are considering legal action against W. Furthermore, the company has terminated its business relationship with the roofing contractor.
Meanwhile, the local chapter of the Left Party (Die Linke) has also reacted strongly, filing a complaint against the roofing company, the publishing house, and the city administration. Landesparteichefin Susanne Schaper criticized the city for trying to shift blame, asserting that the administration should ensure that no hateful content can be published in the Amtsblatt. She stated, "We expect the city administration to immediately change its processes to ensure that no one can place inhumane content in the publication."
As the controversy unfolded, the online version of the Amtsblatt was updated to remove the offensive apprenticeship ad, although the printed version had already been distributed. The local community has been shaken, with discussions surrounding the prevalence of xenophobia in Sebnitz becoming a focal point. This incident follows a troubling history of xenophobic acts in the region, including a violent attack on refugees in 2023.
In the last federal elections, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party received 54.6% of the second votes in Sebnitz, with their candidate, Steffen Janich, garnering 57.4% of the first votes. Such statistics have prompted concerns about the normalization of extremist views within the community.
Andreas Büttner, the anti-Semitism commissioner for Brandenburg, called the advertisement one of the "ekelhaftesten Beispiele" (most disgusting examples) of racism and anti-Semitism, highlighting the troubling intersection of these issues within right-wing circles. His comments resonate with many who believe that the town's political climate has allowed for such overt expressions of bigotry.
The city administration's response has been seen as both necessary and inadequate by some, as critics argue that simply distancing themselves from the advertisement does not address the underlying issues of racism and xenophobia in Sebnitz. The mayor's statement and the actions taken against W. and the publishing house are viewed as a step in the right direction, but many community members are calling for more substantial reforms.
The Handwerkskammer (Chamber of Crafts) in Dresden has announced that they will review the suitability of W.'s company as an apprenticeship provider. They have stated that they stand against racism and support all honest and open-minded craftsmen.
Public outrage has been palpable, with local activists planning demonstrations to protest the racist advertisement and to call for more significant accountability and change within the community. As the situation develops, many are watching closely to see how the city of Sebnitz will respond to the growing demands for action against racism and xenophobia.
In the wake of this incident, the community's reaction reflects a broader struggle against discrimination and the need for vigilance against hate speech. The hope is that this incident will serve as a catalyst for change, prompting a reevaluation of how such matters are handled in the future.
