Björn Höcke, a prominent figure within the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, once again found himself embroiled in legal battles on Monday. This marks the second occasion he has been brought before the courts for employing a prohibited Nazi slogan during a political rally. His defense team has filed motions seeking to have the case dismissed.
The allegations against Höcke stem from an event in Gera, Thuringia, last December, where he is accused of invoking the Nazi-era slogan “Everything for Germany.” Prosecutor Benedikt Bernzen presented the case in a regional court in Halle, asserting that Höcke had provocatively uttered the initial words of the slogan, prompting the crowd to complete it. This act, according to the prosecution, was a deliberate attempt to test legal boundaries regarding the use of such prohibited phrases.
During the proceedings, the public prosecutor’s office maintained that both Höcke and the audience were fully aware of the slogan’s illicit nature. This understanding, they argued, underscored the intent behind its use. Notably, at the time of this incident, Höcke was already under scrutiny for a similar offense in Merseburg, Saxony-Anhalt.
Höcke, who holds significant influence as the AfD chairman in Thuringia and serves as the leader of the regional parliamentary group, faced a defense team that was vocally critical of the trial’s handling. They raised objections about the media and public’s premature judgment of Höcke, questioned the court’s jurisdiction over a case that occurred in a neighboring state, and ultimately called for the case’s discontinuation.
Höcke, in his defense, categorically denied the accusations, proclaiming his complete innocence. The court, still deliberating on the defense motions, adjourned the hearing without reaching a conclusion.
This isn’t the first time Höcke has faced legal consequences for his rhetoric. Last month, he was fined €13,000 ($13,900) for using symbols of an unconstitutional organization after he employed the same slogan at an event in Merseburg in May 2021. The slogan in question was historically associated with the Nazi Sturmabteilung (SA), a paramilitary wing that played a pivotal role in Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in 1933, notorious for their brutal tactics against communists and Jews.
The current charges were initially part of his earlier trial but were separated due to changes in his defense team.
Höcke has a long history of courting controversy. His remarks often push the boundaries of acceptable discourse, evidenced by his infamous description of Berlin’s Holocaust monument as a “memorial of shame” and his calls for a radical shift in Germany’s culture of remembrance. Such statements have cemented his reputation as an extremist in the eyes of German intelligence services.
The AfD itself continues to navigate a tumultuous political landscape. Despite rising poll numbers and recent gains in the European Parliament elections, the party faces internal and external challenges. Last month, it was expelled from an alliance of right-wing populist parties in the European Parliament, following controversial comments by its top EU candidate, Maximilian Krah, who downplayed the criminality of some members of the Schutzstaffel (SS), another notorious Nazi organization.
As the AfD looks towards upcoming regional state elections in Thuringia, Saxony, and Brandenburg, Höcke’s legal troubles and the party’s controversial stance on historical issues remain critical points of contention in Germany’s political discourse.
