March 31, 2026, 1:16 p.mMarch 31, 2026, 1:21 p.m
For a few weeks now, supposed propaganda posters in the style of the 1930s have been flooding social media under the hashtag “Heimatstrom”. At first glance, the images use familiar right-wing motifs such as homeland, patriotism and heroically staged workers’ bodies. But after a closer look, it becomes clear: instead of nationalistic demarcation or anti-migration messages, the slogans promote a shift towards renewable energies.
image: reddit / r/ichichs
What initially seems like political nostalgia is actually AI-generated satire. The pictures show happy German families in traditional costumes or muscular men installing heat pumps.
image: reddit / r/ichichs
The subjects obviously hit a nerve, although the background is less humorous. The war in Iran has caused energy prices to rise noticeably; oil and gas have been rising in price for weeks, as have petrol and diesel. In this situation, right-wing parties like the AfD are reacting with familiar demands: lower energy taxes, lower duties and, above all, the resumption of gas imports from Russia.
image: reddit / r/ichichs
Critics see these AfD demands as a strategy that deepens rather than resolves existing dependencies on authoritarian raw material suppliers. This is exactly where the satirical image campaign comes in. By combining the imagery of classic home and work propaganda with messages for solar energy, wind power and heat pumps, she reverses the line of argument. As a result, resorting to fossil fuels no longer appears to be a patriotic act, but rather turning away from it: energy from domestic, renewable sources becomes a symbol of national sovereignty.
image: reddit / r/ichichs
The creators want to use their subjects to stimulate new discussion. If rising energy prices trigger political reflexes that stabilize old dependencies, the question arises anew: Who actually acts in the interests of their own country – and who doesn’t?
image: reddit / r/ichichs
However, critics point out that the deliberately cited aesthetics of the 1930s can be problematic. Because even if it is treated satirically, it can contribute to normalization. At the core is the question of whether framing to protect the homeland should be left to right-wing extremist actors, as a reinterpretation could lead to the transport of problematic thought patterns. (hkl)
image: reddit / r/ichichs