Hollywood actors and directors urge residents of a picturesque town dubbed ‘Görliwood’ where hits including The Grand Budapest Hotel were filmed to vote ‘wisely’ amid fears they could elect a far-right mayor
- Görlitz is a town in the far east of Germany that is often used in Hollwyood films
- Far-right AfD politician Sebastian Wippel will likely be the town’s next mayor
- Hollywood figures have openly campaigned against Mr Wippel in the small town
- Mr Wippel handed out cards encouraging refugees to return to their countries in 2015
A host of Hollywood actors and directors have gotten involved in a mayoral election in a small German town commonly used in big budget films.
Görlitz – often referred to as Görliwood – became famous after Hollywood films, such as Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel and Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds used the picturesque town as a shooting location.
However, the town, which has a population of 56,391, is now making headlines for an altogether different reason.
On Sunday the town may elect the country’s first mayor from the far-right Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party.
Alternative for Deutschland politician Sebastian Wippel (right) will likely be the next mayor of Görlitz, Germany. Hollywood figures such as Daniel Brühl (left) are campaigning against him
Wes Anderson film The Grand Budapest Hotel was partly filmed in the town of Görlitz
The party’s candidate is 36-year-old Sebastian Wippel, who made headlines in 2015 after handing out flyers that encouraged Arabic refugees to return to their countries of origin.
Directors, producers and actors that have worked in the town are pleading with the electorate not to vote for the AfD in tomorrow’s poll.
Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds used Görlitz to film the movie Der Stolz der Nation, which was a film shown in the film
English director Stephen Daldry and actors Brigitte Broch and Daniel Brühl are among a group of people to sign an open letter hitting out against Mr Wippel.
They’re afraid that the town’s welcoming atmosphere will be changed if he is elected.
‘Please vote wisely,’ the letter reads.
Görlitz is a town in the far east of Germany and has become famous for being used in Hollwyood films
‘Don’t succumb to hate and enmity, discord and exclusion . . . Don’t betray your convictions as soon as someone claims he can solve things for you.’
Mr Wippel won the first round of voting in the mayoral election with 36 per cent of the vote and is fancied to prevail in tomorrow’s final vote.
The former policeman, and current member of parliament in Saxony’s regional assembly, has promoted himself as tough on crime and immigration.
Görlitz, which is located in the far-east of Germany, experienced a surge in cross-border crime after Poland entered the European Union, however recent figures show crime is falling
Benjamin Kornblum, a local restaurant owner, told the Financial Times that people were concerned about the amount of crime in the town.
Görlitz, which is located in the far-east of Germany, experienced a surge in cross-border crime after Poland entered the European Union, however recent figures show crime is falling.
‘Görlitz has a big crime problem, and maybe we need a policeman to sort it out,’ Mr Kornblum said.
Kate Winslet and David Kross starred in 2009 film The Reader. The film used Görlitz to film parts of the movie
‘The government has been cutting back police numbers for years and we need to reverse that.’
Mr Wippel’s campaign slogan – ‘Life is better with borders’ – could be seen as a direct rebuke to his opponent.
Geoffrey Rush and Sophie Nelisse in 2013 film The Book Thief. Görlitz was used for much of the production
Running against the former policeman is Christian Democratic union candidate Octavian Ursu – a Romanian immigrant.
Mr Ursu has centred his campaign around making Görlitz an innovative town open to the world.