Thompson in Stuttgart: 6,500 Fans and Za Dom Spremni
After Marko Perkovic Thompson's concert at Porsche Arena, German media report Ustasha flags in the stands, and a second date in a bigger hall depends on how the show is judged.
Marko Perkovic Thompson’s concert in Stuttgart on Saturday, November 7, 2026, played to about 6,500 people and has opened a debate in Germany that reaches Serbia too. The German agency DPA reports that some guests in the stands carried flags and scarves bearing the salute of the Ustasha movement, which, the agency notes, collaborated with Hitler’s Germany and bears responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews, Roma and political opponents.
What happened at Porsche Arena?
According to the organizers, all roughly 6,500 tickets sold out in three hours, so the hall was full. The program included, among others, the songs “Ako ne znas sta je bilo”, “Dolazak Hrvata”, “Necu izdat’ ja” and “Gospin dom”.
The most attention went to “Bojna Cavoglave”. According to published footage and reports, Thompson shouted “Za dom” (For the homeland) during that song and the crowd answered “Spremni” (Ready). The German public broadcaster SWR also reported that two flags with that salute were visible in one stand.
DPA recalls that the Constitutional Court of Croatia ruled the use of the salute unconstitutional, but that courts have declined to punish Thompson. In Austria, the agency says, Ustasha symbols are punishable by law.
Why did the city not ban the concert?
Representatives of several parties on the Stuttgart city council called for a ban. According to the newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung, the city administration said it had no legal basis for one, adding that certain songs would not be permitted. The paper adds that authorities monitored the concert and that an official interpreter was present in the hall.
Before the show, the Aachener Netzwerk, a network based in Aachen, launched a petition to cancel it. Its organizers named the opening of “Bojna Cavoglave” and the occasional appearance of Ustasha insignia among the audience at some earlier performances as the points of concern, noting that the initiative is not aimed against Croats or Croatian culture. The venue’s management replied that, in its legal assessment, there was no basis to terminate the contract on the strength of a petition alone, and said it would not allow the spread of fascist messages.
A few days before the concert, Thompson rejected in a video message any link between his music and totalitarian ideologies, antisemitism and hatred. He said his songs are about faith, family, homeland and Croatian history.
What comes after Stuttgart?
Thompson’s management has asked for permission for another concert in Stuttgart, in a much larger hall that holds up to 15,000 people. According to the Stuttgarter Zeitung, the decision will depend on how Saturday’s performance is judged.
The next show is scheduled for November 13 at the Jahrhunderthalle in Frankfurt, and according to reports it has sold out as well.
