DistantNews
Support us
Thorsten Frei criticizes AfD politicians for singing DDR anthem
🇩🇪 Germany /Elections & Politics

Thorsten Frei criticizes AfD politicians for singing DDR anthem

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • AfD politicians Tino Chrupalla and Ulrich Siegmund sang the former East German anthem at an party event in Dessau-Roßlau.
  • German Chancellery Chief Thorsten Frei criticized the act as "extremely bizarre," particularly when performed by political representatives.
  • While Chrupalla defended the singing as expressing citizens' hopes, a state official for the SED dictatorship's aftermath called it a "disregard for the victims of the SED dictatorship."

The singing of the former East German anthem, "Auferstanden aus Ruinen," at an Alternative for Germany (AfD) party event in Dessau-Roßlau has drawn sharp criticism. AfD federal leader Tino Chrupalla and the party's top candidate for the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund, were among those who sang the anthem alongside attendees.

extremely bizarre

— Thorsten FreiThorsten Frei, the German Chancellery Chief, criticized the singing of the DDR anthem at the AfD event.

Thorsten Frei, the German Chancellery Chief, described the incident as "extremely bizarre." He specifically condemned the participation of political representatives, stating it clearly signals political messages. The event, a panel discussion, initially intended to conclude with the German national anthem, but began with the DDR anthem, followed by the current German anthem.

The hymn of the GDR was the hymn of a dictatorship. I find it very irritating that it is sung at the end of an election campaign event of a party that wants to provide the Minister President in Saxony-Anhalt.

— Johannes BeleitesJohannes Beleites, the state representative for the aftermath of the SED dictatorship, expressed his strong criticism of the event.

Johannes Beleites, the state representative for the aftermath of the SED dictatorship in Saxony-Anhalt, also voiced strong disapproval. He characterized the DDR anthem as the anthem of a dictatorship and found its performance at an AfD campaign event deeply irritating. Beleites argued that singing the anthem showed a "disregard for the victims of the SED dictatorship" and a "contempt for the people who risked their lives or accepted long prison sentences for freedom and democracy."

It is a disregard for the victims of the SED dictatorship. It is also a contempt for the people who risked their lives or accepted long prison sentences for freedom and democracy.

— Johannes BeleitesJohannes Beleites elaborated on the implications of singing the DDR anthem at the AfD event.

Chrupalla, however, defended the act, telling the German magazine Stern that the anthem reflects the hopes of citizens. He stated, "We want to ensure that no more ruins are created – as in the area of exploded nuclear power plants or other critical infrastructure." He deemed any "subsequent, artificial scandalization of the event unnecessary." The AfD's state chapter in Saxony-Anhalt is classified by the domestic intelligence agency as reliably right-wing extremist.

We want to ensure that no more ruins are created – as in the area of exploded nuclear power plants or other critical infrastructure. A subsequent, artificial scandalization of the event is therefore unnecessary.

— Tino ChrupallaAfD leader Tino Chrupalla defended the singing of the DDR anthem, linking it to current infrastructure concerns.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog