The campaign was aimed at different target groups. First, we addressed the general public and potential donors to inform them about the work of EXIT-Deutschland. Second, we spoke with the neo-Nazis. For the first time, EXIT-Deutschland could address thousands of neo-Nazis at once and directly offer them help. And third, we involved social media influencers and the media to help us spread the word.

On 15 November 2014, we secretly turned the annual neo-Nazi march in the small German town of Wunsiedel into something positive: a charity walk for EXIT-Deutschland, an NGO that helps neo-Nazis leave the far-right scene. For every metre the neo-Nazis covered, €10 went to EXIT-Deutschland. With banners and chalk writings all along the route, we made sure the neo-Nazis and the general public immediately understood the idea of the neo-Nazis unwittingly donating against themselves. Every street banner displayed the campaign microsite’s URL where everyone could learn more about EXIT-Deutschland and the neo-Nazis could start a direct dialogue with EXIT-Deutschland – at a single click of the dedicated EXIT button. Additionally, as the neo-Nazis crossed the finishing line, winner’s certificates were handed out containing extensive details of how we support people wanting to leave the scene.

To ensure we got the right setting and story, we chose a neo-Nazi march in the small, helpless Bavarian town of Wunsiedel, where Hitler’s deputy and mass murderer Rudolf Hess was once buried. The town, sick of the annual march, was willing to cooperate and helped us raise the €10,000 from local companies and citizens. Thanks to its entertaining character and the high involvement of the meticulously planned campaign, the “Miracle of Wunsiedel” quickly gained its own dynamics and went viral.

All in all, not only did the neo-Nazis raise €10,000 for their own demise, but the campaign on the ground and the overwhelming media coverage reached more than 24 million people in Germany. Not only did potential candidates for quitting the scene hear about EXIT-Deutschland’s offer of support, but 6,900 actually clicked the EXIT button on our microsite and new supporters doubled the donations in the end.

For 15 years, the organisation EXIT-Deutschland has been successfully helping neo-Nazis quit the far-right scene. Yet, despite this socially important and effective work, the initiative receives too little attention and too few donations. That’s why EXIT-Deutschland has to fight for its own existence every year. Many towns and cities in Germany are also fighting against right-wing extremists who are exploiting their right to demonstrate and overrunning them – creating a high profile for themselves and negative PR for their chosen parade locations. One of them is the small German town of Wunsiedel.