AfD Youth Candidate Faces Backlash Over Speech Echoing hitler
Giessen, Germany – A youth candidate for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Alexander Eichwald, has sparked widespread outrage after delivering a speech at the AfD youth congress in Giessen that observers likened to rhetoric and gestures used by Adolf Hitler. The incident has prompted a swift response from the party leadership, who are now reviewing Eichwald’s membership status.
Eichwald’s speech, accompanied by distinctive hand movements, raised alarm bells even within the AfD itself. The controversy intensified with the online circulation of past material linked to the candidate,including references to the stage name “Alex Oak” and images from a regional newspaper. Eichwald has denied allegations that the speech was a performance art project, maintaining that the content was presented seriously.
AfD party leader Tino Chrupalla stated that Eichwald, a member of the North Rhine-Westphalia federation, had deviated from the party’s principles with his presentation. “with the content and form of his candidacy presentation, Alexander Eichwald distanced himself from the party’s principles,” Chrupalla told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur agency. The federal executive has announced a review of Eichwald’s party membership.
The incident occurs amidst internal debate regarding the direction of the AfD’s youth wing. While Chrupalla praised the organization’s “professionalization” and stated it should remain “unpleasant,” concerns remain about the new youth leader, jean-Pascal Hohm, who recently used the term “population exchange” in an interview. chrupalla distanced himself from the phrase,stating,”you shouldn’t call it that,” while acknowledging Hohm’s “experience.”
Experts warn that despite attempts at containment, radical elements persist within the AfD youth organization.During the congress, candidates including Mio Trautner, Julia Gehrkens, and Cedric Krippner advocated for extreme measures such as accelerating deportations and the “remigration of millions of people.”
political scientist Christoph Schulze believes Hohm’s election signals a continuation of the party’s radical stance, while Wolfgang Schroeder notes the new youth leadership consists of “the same people” who previously dominated the organization.
The AfD was founded in 2013 and has grown to become a meaningful political force in Germany, capitalizing on anti-immigrant sentiment and euroscepticism. the party currently holds seats in the German parliament,the Bundestag,and in several state legislatures. The party has faced accusations of extremism and racism throughout its history, and its rhetoric often draws comparisons to that of the Nazi party.
