Germany's Far-Right AfD Holds Party Congress on 100th Anniversary of 'Hitler Loyalty Oath'

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), currently leading in German party approval ratings, held its party congress on the 4th (local time) amid intense protests.

The event took place exactly 100 years after the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers' Party, NSDAP) held a party congress nearby, which solidified Adolf Hitler's (1889–1945) grip on power.

According to reports from outlets such as the daily newspaper Die Welt, protesters from across the country gathered in Erfurt, Thuringia, where the AfD congress was held. Starting in the early morning, they blocked 12 city roads in an attempt to disrupt the event.

Police estimated that 31,000 protesters had gathered in Erfurt as of the afternoon.

However, the party congress proceeded as scheduled.

Delegates, anticipating the blockade by opposition groups, had arrived at the venue early in the morning.

The AfD reported that 540 out of 600 delegates had already gathered by 5:00 a.m., five hours before the start of the congress.

While protests frequently occur during AfD events, this demonstration was particularly intense due to the historical significance of the date and location, as well as the fact that the party was electing co-leaders for a two-year term ahead of state parliamentary elections in September.

On July 3–4, 1926, the Nazi Party held its so-called Imperial Party Congress in Weimar, a city neighboring Erfurt, where members swore loyalty to Hitler and established the youth organization, the Hitler Youth.

The Nazi salute and the slogan "Heil Hitler," which are currently prohibited by law in Germany and many other European countries, were also established as official party greetings during that event.

For this reason, left-wing groups have criticized the AfD, accusing it of intentionally choosing the date and location as a provocation.

Andreas Audretsch, deputy parliamentary leader of the Green Party, stated, "The AfD is intentionally and explicitly continuing the tradition of Hitler's party, the NSDAP, here in Erfurt."

While protesters who failed to block the congress created noise outside the venue to disrupt the event, the AfD re-elected Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla as co-leaders for a two-year term.

Established German political parties are isolating the AfD under a so-called firewall principle, which dictates that they will not cooperate with the party under any circumstances.

In this climate, there is growing concern that the AfD could seize power in state governments ahead of the state parliamentary elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania this September.

In the former East German regions of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD is polling at around 40 percent, aiming to form a single-party government.

Björn Höcke, the head of the AfD in Thuringia, who is notorious for rhetoric reminiscent of the Nazis, claimed in his speech that day, "The firewall has helped us grow," adding, "We have now become the strongest force in Germany. We will soon see our first state premier in the East German region."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.