{
  "id": 5222357,
  "title": "The far-right leader pushing Germans to forget the Nazi past",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/the-far-right-leader-pushing-germans-to-forget-the-nazi-past",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-03T02:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Politico EU",
    "slug": "politico-eu",
    "url": "https://www.politico.eu/article/hans-thomas-tillschneider-saxony-anhalt-election-erinnerungskultur-alternative-for-germany/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, a 48-year-old lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, is gaining prominence as he pushes for a shift in the country's postwar identity. Tillschneider, who may soon hold more power than any other far-right figure in Germany's postwar history, has been outspoken about the need to move beyond the culture of remembrance surrounding Nazi crimes and the Holocaust. While he does not advocate for forgetting the past, Tillschneider argues that the current emphasis on remembrance has created a \"guilt cult\" that harms Germany's identity and makes it vulnerable to external forces. Tillschneider's ideas are not new; they have been a part of the AfD's platform for some time. However, as the main author of the party's program for governing Saxony-Anhalt, Tillschneider has the potential to implement his radical vision on a state level. He plans to revise history lessons to focus on figures like Otto von Bismarck rather than Hitler, and to cut cultural funding to promote a more positive, \"German\" identity.",
  "summary": "Hans-Thomas Tillschneider could soon wield more power than any other far-right figure in Germany’s postwar history to turn his radical ideas into reality.",
  "key_points": [
    "Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, 48, is a far-right lawmaker in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.",
    "He advocates moving beyond Nazi remembrance culture to reshape German identity."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Tillschneider's rise potentially marks a shift in Germany's postwar identity, as he seeks to downplay the country's Nazi past and promote a more positive sense of national identity.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}