Aufseßplatz Street Festival – Against Racism and Discrimination

A Festival with Stance in the Heart of Nuremberg

The Aufseßplatz in southern Nuremberg is a central venue for Gostenhof and Steinbühl – two of the most diverse districts in the Middle Franconian metropolis, shaped by migration and subcultures. Every June, the "Against Racism and Discrimination – For a Better Coexistence" Street Festival transforms it into an open stage, a meeting place, and a hub between dance and memory politics.

Originating from the NSU Complex

The festival was first held on June 13, 2015, and is closely linked to the NSU complex. Three of the ten murders by the "National Socialist Underground" were committed in Nuremberg – including the first, of Enver Şimşek in September 2000. Since then, the street festival at Aufseßplatz has seen itself as a civil society response to right-wing extremist violence and a place of remembrance for the murdered. It is organised by a grassroots plenum with regular preparatory meetings.

Programme Structure: Stage, Stalls, Exhibitions

The programme traditionally consists of three pillars:

• Live Stage: Bulgarian and Serbian folk dances, hip-hop, flamenco, Latin American dance, world music, multilingual choir – around 20 acts annually from Nuremberg and the region
• Hands-on Workshops: most recently a samba workshop with "Rhythms of Resistance Erlangen", open to all
• Exhibitions and Speeches: VVN-BdA with "AfD and Racism in Germany", ISFBB with "NSU Victims and Perpetrator Investigation", speeches by, among others, Nuremberg's Lord Mayor Marcus König and ISFBB director Birgit Mair

Location in the Urban Space

Aufseßplatz is located between Wölckernstraße and Pillenreuther Straße and is directly accessible via U-Bahn line U1 (station Aufseßplatz). The area around the square is characterised by small shops, Turkish and Mediterranean bakeries, and alternative initiatives – the festival literally reflects this diversity on the street. The Karl-Bröger-Medal of the City of Nuremberg was awarded to the festival in 2024.

Significance for Middle Franconia

In the Nuremberg urban district and beyond in Middle Franconia, the Aufseßplatz Street Festival is the antifascist counterpart to Bavaria's Volksfest and traditional customs – a political neighbourhood festival that celebrates the cultural diversity of the Franconian metropolis while clearly taking a stand against right-wing violence.