Will AfD’s historic win affect Holocaust remembrance in Germany? - analysis
Some of Alternative for Germany's regional branches, including in Saxony-Anhalt, have been classified as right-wing extremist organizations by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency.
As Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party secured a historic victory in the recent election, Jewish community members in Saxony-Anhalt are wary of the potential impact on Holocaust remembrance. The party, which garnered 43.8% of the vote, could now form a coalition government with other parties or through cross-overs, despite its lack of enough seats to govern independently.
This development has raised concerns about the party's stance on remembrance and its potential influence on security funding for Jewish institutions.
Remko Leemhuis, the director of the American Jewish Committee's Berlin office, warned that the AfD's success could set a precedent for other elections, potentially increasing cooperation with the party. The center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which leads Germany's federal government and received 17.2% of the vote, has vowed to maintain a "firewall" against the AfD, a policy that could be undermined if the far-right party forms a government.
Election results have already seen the AfD become the largest opposition party in Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, with nearly 21 percent of the vote. This shift has led to concerns that the party could pressure other parties to cooperate with it, potentially altering the country's remembrance culture. The AfD has previously criticized Germany's approach to Holocaust remembrance, suggesting a reduction in the amount of time dedicated to teaching about the Nazis in schools.
The AfD's popularity and controversial statements have also raised concerns about security funding for Jewish institutions, such as synagogues, which are often funded at the state level. The party has proposed establishing "voluntary citizen patrols" in areas with declining populations, further fueling tensions. In 2019, a far-right gunman attempted to enter a synagogue in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, and subsequently killed two individuals in unrelated incidents.
The party's rising popularity continues to heighten concerns about the future of Holocaust remembrance in Germany.
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