What do young men stand on the far right? The episode in Solingen, Germany, last week saw the AfD attack on a young man

Historical memory is bound to shape the first reaction to the powerful showing of a far-right party in two German state elections on Sunday. There is nothing specifically German in the appeal of populism and extremism, especially among populations confused and threatened by a vaguely threatening world. In the former Soviet satellites, as well as in the most venerable democracies, it is endemic.

The rapid rise of the AfD in eastern Germany also raises inevitable anxieties born of history: Is Nazism coming back? The leader of the AfD, Björn Höcke, has not helped with his repeated use of Nazi rhetoric in his speeches, and many Germans have demanded that AfD be banned.

German voters are becoming increasingly frustrated by a wave of migrants arriving in the country in recent years, especially now that Germany’s economy has stagnated.

The unfortunate deaths of three people and the wounding of several others at a festival in the western German city of Solingen last week was the first sign that this frustration is getting worse.

After the attack, it was discovered that the man was supposed to have been deported months ago, and it led to growing anger about Germany’s immigration system.

The party could hold seats in both states that would allow them to block decisions that require a two-thirds vote.

A party centered on a popular former communist party politician won more than 10% of seats in the parliament in Thringen, eight months after it was founded.

Perhaps most interesting is that the three parties in power on a national level — the social democrats (SPD), the Green Party, and the libertarian FDP party— all suffered big losses in these state elections, and it underscores how unpopular they’ve become with voters not only in the former East, but nationally as well.

In eastern Germany, that sense is intensified by the fact that the West is the same country. Even though Thuringia’s economy has rebounded somewhat after it was hit hard by the collapse of its industries following Germany’s reunification, it still suffers from young women leaving for other countries. The party targeted young men with the slogan, “Real men stand on the far right.” Real men are patriots. It is the best way to find a girlfriend.

The results of the election could have a major impact on Germany’s support of Ukraine. Both B.S.W. andAfD share the same sentiment about immigration andUkraine, but they are at different ends of the political spectrum. Both are friendly to Russia and against supporting Ukraine. German foreign policy is shaped by the federal government, which is not likely to reduce Germany’s military or political support for Ukraine anytime soon. But a signal has been sent.

There will be a problem in forming governments in the two states. B.S.W., like every other party, has declared that it will not join in any coalition with AfD, so the center-right Christian Democratic Union, the only mainstream party to make a respectable showing in either state, will probably have to try to form coalition governments with B.S.W. and other left-wing parties. It won’t be easy.