By Martin Hanni
Salto
April 17, 2026
Author Gabriel Kuhn researches the left in South Tyrol and is writing a book on the subject. His political football book has just been published in Italian.
On the far left, whether in sports, politics, or society: in this issue of Doppelpunkt, SALTO introduces author and activist Gabriel Kuhn , who grew up in Tyrol and has lived in Sweden for many years. He is currently researching the political situation in South Tyrol, particularly the role of the left. He also talks about his ancestors from Merano and Neumarkt.
Italian translation: “Un calcio al potere. Gioco e lotta sociale.” Essential reading in the former footballing nation, especially after Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup. He presented the book in Merano the day before yesterday. Photo: Elèuthera
Gabriel Kuhn has been interested in left-wing politics since his youth and combines social justice with a strong concept of freedom in his work. A central theme of the interview is his research on the left in South Tyrol: Kuhn criticizes the fact that the South Tyrol issue has historically been heavily dominated by right-wing and nationalist forces, and that the left has often withdrawn. This has led to left-wing perspectives hardly being present in the public consciousness anymore. Yet there have certainly been left-wing approaches and figures, such as Alexander Langer , who are frequently forgotten.
The Left should not ignore such issues…
Gabriel Kuhn sees a fundamental challenge for the Left: How should it deal with situations in which legitimate political concerns – such as self-determination or resistance against oppression – are championed by ideologically problematic or right-wing forces? The Left should not ignore such issues, but rather develop its own progressive perspectives instead of ceding the field to others. While many liberation movements in the past were more strongly socialist in character, nationalist or conservative elements have often gained prominence today.
Gabriel Kuhn at Doppelpunkt: Author, translator, and activist. He focuses primarily on political theory, subcultures, and sports politics. In addition to his own books, he translates works by international authors into German, thus contributing to the dissemination of critical theory. Photo: Andy Odierno
