Simson Hype: A GDR Cult Moped and its AfD Problem
AfD politicians are appropriating the Simson brand. The family is resisting this. And what about MZA, the Thuringian spare parts manufacturer? They just want to make money. But the Simson business is not that simple.
Meiningen. A car engine roars as a swarm of various-colored Simsons passes by on a country road, accompanied by a fast DJ beat and a retro filter. The camera switches to different drivers on the beloved DDR mopeds, with Ulrich Siegmund, wearing a white T-shirt and blue Schwalbe shoes, in the middle. Cut to Siegmund, the AfD politician and winner of the Saxony-Anhalt election, standing on a stage, calling for an end to political oppression.
The audience erupts in applause. Cut back to the moped scene, now with the realization that the Simsons have gained popularity due to their connection to AfD politicians, starting with Thuringia's state leader Mario Voigt criticizing Björn Höcke, a member of the AfD. The Simsons are no longer just simple eastern mopeds but have become a political issue.
The mopeds haven't been in production for a long time, and spare parts can only be obtained from one company - MZA. Its CEO credits the Simsons for the rise of his business, which grew alongside the cult for years. However, now the situation is becoming a test for MZA.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Simson Hype: A GDR Cult Moped and its AfD Problem handelsblatt.com
