Simply explained - What is Compact Magazine and why is it banned?
## Table of Contents
- What is the "Compact" Magazine?
- Who is Jürgen Elsässer?
- What are the reasons for banning "Compact"?
The German Federal Interior Ministry describes the ban on the "Compact" Magazine as a "hard blow against the far-right scene." The ministry's statement further reads, "Nancy Faeser has today banned the 'COMPACT-Magazin GmbH' and the 'CONSPECT FILM GmbH'." The magazine was classified as "secured right-wing extremist" by the Interior Ministry as early as the end of 2021. In recent years, the publication has drawn attention due to sensational headlines and articles that can be evaluated as discriminatory, antisemitic, and/or volkish-nationalist. The sudden ban comes as a surprise to many scene observers. What is "Compact" for a magazine? Who is its editor-in-chief, Jürgen Elsässer? And why was it banned?
What is the "Compact" Magazine?
The "Compact" Magazine originated from Jürgen Elsässer's eponymous book series. The first issue of the monthly publication was released in December 2010. Initially overlooked, the magazine gained significant traction due to the rise of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and other right-wing movements like Pegida. "Compact" became a symbol and model of so-called alternative media. Pegida and other groups marched in the streets, while "Compact" provided positive coverage. The magazine was populist and oversimplified from the start. It became truly newsworthy around the years 2015/2016.
As the mood on foreigner-hostile demonstrations grew rougher, the content in the magazine became more radical. In contrast to the general trend on the magazine market, the circulation of the printed edition grew. According to their own statements, it reached 80,000 copies in its peak, of which about half were sold.
The articles in the magazine insulted the "Islamization" of Germany, the Angela Merkel government, and the "Lügenpresse" (lying press). On the other hand, the AfD and other right-wing currents, as well as authoritarian state leaders like Vladimir Putin or Viktor Orbán, were consistently praised. Over time, the tone in the magazine became increasingly radical. Criticism grew that the magazine spread antisemitic, racist, and conspiracy theory content.
Since March 2020, "Compact" has been monitored by the Constitutional Protection Agency as a right-wing extremist suspect. This was done simultaneously with the far-right wing of the AfD around Björn Höcke.
Who is Jürgen Elsässer?
The editor-in-chief of the "Compact" Magazine, Jürgen Elsässer, has a long history: from far-left to far-right. The journalist and publicist wrote for left-wing magazines like "Jungle World" or "Neues Deutschland" in his youth. Back then, Elsässer expressed himself explicitly anti-German and anti-imperialist, like many of his colleagues in left-wing media. Elsässer, however, expressed himself more explicitly. For example, in an article in the magazine "konkret" from 1995, he said, "There's no help against antisemitism with articles, only baseball bats."
In the mid-2000s, Elsässer moved politically further to the right. He transitioned from a leftist, pacifist, anti-American, and anti-capitalist position to conspiracy theories, an Islamophobic stance, and Querfront (frontline) approaches between the Left and the "democratic Right." His career path is often compared to that of Horst Mahler, who went from the lawyer of the far-left Red Army Faction to a Holocaust denier and right-wing extremist.
From 2010, Elssesser led the "Compact" magazine as its editor-in-chief. His goal was to build a bridge between the Right and Left and facilitate debates between both factions. He primarily attracted readers from the new right and national-populist camp. Starting in 2014, Elssesser began disseminating antisemitic narratives such as that of the "Financial Oligarchy" involving the "Rockefeller, Rothschild, Soros, Chodorkowski" families.
Around the magazine, Elssesser built a large offering to generate additional revenue and expand reach: an online shop, a YouTube channel, the production company "Conspect Film," for which his wife hosted a weekly show that served as a counterpoint to "Mainstream News."
The anti-American and anti-imperialist stance of the paper began to fade in 2015, giving way to racist and conspiracy-theory-driven ideologies. Elssesser saw the magazine as an alternative, "oppositional" medium. In 2018, he declared, "The mission of oppositional media is to contribute to the fall of the regime."
What are the reasons for banning "Compact"?
For several years, Elssesser brought "Compact" closer to the AfD and other right-wing groups like Pegida or the Querdenken-Movement. The magazine became the most influential voice of the New Right in the German-speaking world. Elssesser acted as a key figure in the scene, while the "Compact" magazine created a public sphere for right-wing extremist thought and anti-democratic positions.
The Federal Interior Ministry justifies the ban with these contents: "The 'Compact-Magazin GmbH' spreads antisemitic, racist, minority-hostile, revisionist, and conspiracy-theoretical content through its widely-reaching publications and products. They agitate against a pluralistic social system that respects the human dignity of the individual [...]."
It is to be expected that "recipients of the media products are stirred up and encouraged to actions against the constitutional order through the publications, which also openly propagate the overthrow of the political order," the ministry further argues.
What criticism is there about the ban?
Since it was publicly announced that the Federal Interior Ministry had banned "Compact" and the related company "Conspect Film," criticism – at least about the justification for the ban – has emerged. For example, media journalist Stefan Niggemeier wrote about a "feeling of unease" regarding the ban. Some others expressed similar concerns. The same point is criticized by stern-author Martin Debes in his opinion piece about the ban.
In the case of "Compact," the evidence that it represents an anti-democratic or hateful position is quite apparent. Nevertheless, some users on social media expressed concern that the Interior Ministry's ban could lead to arbitrary censorship of government-critical media in Germany.
The ban on "Compact-Magazin GmbH" and "CONSPECT FILM GmbH" by the German Federal Interior Ministry was also criticized by Jürgen Elsässer, the editor-in-chief of "Compact," who is affiliated with the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Elsässer, who has a controversial past, has been a vocal supporter of the AfD and has often been accused of spreading antisemitic, racist, and conspiracy theory content through "Compact." Despite these accusations, Elsässer and his supporters argue that the ban infringes on free speech and could lead to arbitrary censorship of government-critical media in Germany.
