Simson Hype: A GDR Cult Moped and its AfD Problem
AfD politicians are taking over Simson. The family is defending itself against this. And what about MZA, the Thuringian spare parts manufacturer? They just want to make money. But the Simson business is not that simple.
Falko Meyer, the head of MZA, a company that produces and markets Simson scooter parts, has seen his business boom in recent years. The Simson, a cult scooter from East Germany, has become a symbol of freedom and youth culture, and its popularity has been fueled by its adoption by far-right politicians, including AfD's Björn Höcke and Ulrich Siegmund.
Meyer's company, which has been in operation since the early 1990s, reported a turnover of almost 19 million euros in 2024. Despite the Simson's association with far-right politics, Meyer claims that this has not had a positive impact on his business, stating that it is "völliger Quatsch" (complete nonsense) that the politicization of the Simson has increased his sales.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Simson Hype: A GDR Cult Moped and its AfD Problem handelsblatt.com
