Germany's 'most dangerous man' was once an air-freshener salesman, then Covid launched him

Ulrich Siegmund once sold air fresheners. During the coronavirus pandemic, the previously little-known state lawmaker found a powerful political platform in TikTok, where he complained about masks, vaccination and other government rules with a smile.

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nonsense

He called those measures “nonsense” and drew millions of viewers. His videos wrapped an anti-establishment message in a friendly, conversational style, helping turn him into the leading candidate of the far-right Alternative for Germany in Saxony-Anhalt.

If the AfD wins an absolute majority in the state, Siegmund would become the first far-right extremist to govern a German state since democracy was restored nearly eight decades ago. That prospect would represent a major shock for Germany's postwar political system, which was designed after World War II to keep politicians classified as extremists from reaching government office.

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does not dare to judge

The AfD remains excluded from Berlin's political establishment. Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies it as a “suspected right-wing extremist organization,” a charge the party dismisses as politically motivated. The party says Islam is incompatible with the German constitution and promises mass deportations of immigrants. Several of its leaders seek closer ties with Russia, while some use rhetoric from the Nazi era, including the minimization of the Holocaust.

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suspected right-wing extremist organization

Siegmund has said he “does not dare to judge” whether the Holocaust was humanity's worst crime because he cannot reconcile that question with humanity as a whole. He also refused to distance himself from supporters who chanted his surname in a way resembling the Nazi salute slogan “Sieg Heil.” Even so, experts say he attracts voters by presenting the party's extreme positions in a more accessible and optimistic tone than many AfD colleagues, without distancing himself from extremists. Der Spiegel has called him “the most dangerous man in Germany.” He often appears smiling, shakes hands, remembers people's names and records TikTok videos while online influencers follow him at campaign events.

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the most dangerous man in Germany