Brandenburg AfD defends MP Adam despite Stasi collaboration report

The Brandenburg branch of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is standing by its state parliament member, Jean-René Adam, even after a review committee's report mentioned his unofficial ties to the Stasi, East Germany's state security service.

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Every form of cooperation with the Stasi is God knows no badge of honor.

AfD faction leader Hans-Christoph Berndt acknowledged that any collaboration with the Stasi is "certainly no badge of honor." However, he defended Adam, suggesting the politician aimed to become a criminal police officer and may not have realized the unit's close connection to the Stasi. Berndt stated the party cannot prove otherwise. Adam himself has vehemently denied any collaboration, asserting he has nothing to reproach himself for and fears no consequences from his faction.

The review report indicates Adam worked unofficially for a criminal police department closely linked to the Stasi between 1983 and 1984, classifying him as an unofficial collaborator. Maria Nooke, the official responsible for processing the Stasi's past, criticized Adam. She stated that available files show he was deployed to monitor politically non-conformist youth groups, was deliberately infiltrated, and provided detailed reports, including names.

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I have never worked with the Stasi at any time. (...) I do not fear any consequences from the state parliamentary group, as I have nothing to reproach myself for.

Nooke described Adam's case as "extremely difficult" because the Stasi evaluated the information he provided. While the report confirms Stasi use of information in up to two cases involving affected individuals, it remains unclear in others. Nooke could not confirm whether Adam had harmed individuals, as he claimed during questioning and publicly. The AfD's Berndt pointed out that the report does not document any harm to victims, although it notes his reports could have implicated friends and acquaintances. The commission's further inquiries did not yield evidence of such harm, but the possibility of the Stasi using the information cannot be entirely ruled out.

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The files available to us state that from beginning to end he was also deployed against politically non-conformist youth groups, that he was deliberately infiltrated and reported extensively, naming names.