Series star Damian Hardung criticizes AfD and political discourse

“Radicalization of the language”

Cologne series star calculates with the AfD

The Cologne serial star Damian Hardung is concerned about political debate culture. That is why he doesn’t want to be silent when it comes to AfD.

The Cologne actor Damian Hardung also sees his work as a political statement. “I honestly ask myself the question: Which message does the film transport? Can this be an impetus for a discussion-about values ​​that are important to me and that may be relevant to society?” Explained the 26-year-old in an interview with the magazine “GQ”.

The actor, which became known by series such as “Club of the Red Bands”, “How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)” and “Maxton Hall”, emphasizes that the work for public broadcasters automatically accepts political dimensions: “If a party like the AfD calls for a drastically circumcision, then this also affects the cultural task of ARD and ZDF. And rightly in the middle of the debate. “

Hardung, who studies medicine in addition to his acting career and is currently preparing for the state examination, relies on the power of facts despite the worrying social developments. The 26-year-old told the ‘GQ’ that he still wanted to believe that knowledge is “even if it may sometimes appear illusory”.

With a view to current political currents, the Cologne team is concerned: “But how should I react to it if a party who is now moving into the Bundestag with 20 percent claims that climate change does not exist and CO2 is good for plant growth? The basis must still be facts.” Facts would still have to make their way into hearts, but this does not mean “that we should fall back on felt facts”.

Hardung finds the current communication culture particularly worrying: “The radicalization of the language, the constant against each other, the lack of a real dialogue. It is no longer about finding similarities, but only about delimiting each other – about who is the loudest and who has the most striking position.”

The actor, who also works for streaming services such as Netflix and Prime Video, tries to “suppress the impulse of the hasty judgment and to start the opposite with curiosity.”