“I am European”: Sandra Hüller calls for voting at demo

Actress Sandra Hüller (46) made a surprise appearance at a rally in Leipzig on Saturday against right-wing extremism and for democracy. “I actually always try to be a little invisible when I’m not working, but today it’s different. Today there are no more excuses,” said the 46-year-old. In the trade fair city, an alliance of more than 200 organizations called for the rally “Hand in Hand for Democracy and Human Rights”. Hüller was nominated at this year’s Oscars for the leading role in the film “Anatomy of a Case”. She was born in Suhl and lives in Leipzig.

She could not remember a time in her life when the openness and flexibility of this society, its modernity, friendliness and reliability seemed to be as threatened as now, the actress told the many thousands of people in Leipzig. “I deliberately say ‘seem’ because I will not allow that to happen, and neither will she.” The organizers in Leipzig spoke of around 15,000 people, the police of a high four-digit number of participants.

Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung had called Hüller a few days before the demonstration. “I asked her if she could imagine giving a speech on stage,” the SPD politician told the German Press Agency on the sidelines of the demonstration. Such a “great, brilliant actress would be a different, exciting voice.” The next day she said she would do it.

“I am a European,” Hüller, who rarely appears in public outside of her work, called out to the many thousands of people. People should not allow themselves to be infected “by the harsh tone of the right, by the imprecision and violence in the language, which has only one goal: uncertainty and division.” There are no easy solutions. “Democracy, participation in shaping things, participation in decisions are exhausting, thinking is exhausting.” She called on people to go to the polls on Sunday and to take friends and family members with them.