CSD in Köthen: Rainbow parade celebrates variety despite hurdles!

CSD in Köthen: Rainbow parade celebrates variety despite hurdles!

On July 12, 2025, around 300 people celebrated the Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Köthen, a city with around 30,000 inhabitants in Saxony-Anhalt. Despite the rainy weather, the celebrants walked peacefully through the city. The police had secured the event and no incidents or registered counter events were reported. MDR reports that the organization team originally counted on around 1,000 visitors, but bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of cooperation City of Köthen for the fact that the number of participants was lower.

The new editions and bureaucratic obstacles that accompanied the CSD 2025 were criticized more clearly by Julian Miethig, one of the organizers. Talks with the mayor Christina Buchheim have been rejected, and there is an impression that the new provisions are perceived as harassment. These difficulties are not new to the LGBTQIA+community in Köthen, which in the past was faced with resistance and violence. At the first CSD, attacks on the event were committed in June 2024, for example, in which butyric acid and nails were applied. Edition f reports .

meaning of visibility

Julian emphasizes the importance of visibility for queer people, especially in rural areas. The CSD 2025 was under the motto "Never again-Köthen l (i) Ebet diversity", which underlines the ongoing efforts of the LGBTQIA+community to promote acceptance and recognition in society. At a time when Germany is one of the most tolerant countries in relation to homosexuality, smaller cities often remain behind these developments. Sociologist Reinhold Sackmann notes that the visibility and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community are lower than in Metropoles.

The history of the LGBTQIA+rights in Germany has had a long way behind it, from the criminalization of homosexual actions to legal equality. When the "marriage for all" was decided in 2017, a big step seemed to be taken towards equality. Nevertheless, right -wing extremist tendencies repeatedly speak up that argue against the community's rights. These political challenges should not be underestimated, as well as An analysis of the CSD rights shows .

A look into the future

Despite all the adversity, the CSD event in Köthen remains a sign of hope and strength for the LGBTQIA+community and its supporters: inside. It is important to continue to stand up for an open and tolerant society so that the desired equality can actually become a reality. The CSD events not only record increasing number of participants, but also increasing support from the economy, which is strong for diversity.

The CSD in Köthen is not only a celebration of diversity, but also an important step in the request to accept acceptance in a small scale, so that a rethink can also take place on a larger level.