Hubert Aiwanger’s past continues to be the dominant issue in political Bavaria. The free voter boss is trying to counter the allegations about his school days.
In the affair about an old anti-Semitic leaflet, the pressure on Bavaria’s Deputy Prime Minister Hubert Aiwanger does not ease. It is unclear when the Free Voters boss will send the written answers to 25 questions that Prime Minister Markus Söder had asked for in a timely manner. Most recently, Aiwanger publicly defended himself after further allegations had been made about his school days.
The following message was published on Aiwanger’s account on the online network X (formerly Twitter): “It’s getting more and more absurd. Another person claims that I had Mein Kampf in my school bag. Who would come up with such nonsense!?” As a rule, the Free Voters boss writes all the posts himself. There was initially no confirmation as to whether that was the case this time as well. The “Süddeutsche Zeitung” had previously quoted an unnamed former classmate of Aiwanger as having often carried Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” with him in his school bag. She can confirm this because she held the book in her own hands.
“I’ve never been an anti-Semite or an extremist,” said Aiwanger of the German Press Agency in Munich. “I don’t remember any allegations against me as a teenager, but they may be due to things that can be interpreted one way or another,” added the 52-year-old.
Hitler salutes, Jewish jokes and anti-Semitic leaflets
Before that, the Bavarian Economics Minister had told the Welt TV channel in the presence of other journalists on the fringes of an appointment in Donauwörth: “It is definitely the case that perhaps in youth one or the other can be interpreted in one way or another, what is considered 15- year-old here is accused of me.” However, he emphasized: “But in any case, I’ve been saying since adulthood, the last few decades: not an anti-Semite, not an extremist, but a philanthropist.” He could “put all hands on fire for the last few decades”. What is now being discussed from adolescence surprises him a little.
The background was new allegations that came from a former classmate. In the 1980s, when entering the already occupied classroom, Aiwanger is said to have “shown a Hitler salute” from time to time, as the man told the ARD magazine “Report Munich”, according to a classmate from the 7th to 9th grade. In addition, Aiwanger “very often imitated these Hitler speeches in this Hitler slang”. Even anti-Jewish jokes were “definitely made”. What “strong attitude” was behind it, he said: “I have no idea.”
The “Bild” said Aiwanger to the accusation of showing the Hitler salute: “I don’t remotely remember that I should have done something like that.” On Aiwanger’s X profile on Wednesday morning it said: “#Dirty campaigns backfire in the end. #Aiwanger”.
On Saturday, Aiwanger had denied in writing that he had written an anti-Semitic leaflet when he was at school, which the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” had reported on. At the same time, however, he admitted that “one or a few copies” were found in his school bag. Shortly thereafter, Aiwanger’s older brother admitted to having written the pamphlet.
Söder: “All questions must be clarified beyond doubt”
The deputy leader of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Dirk Wiese, called for Aiwanger’s resignation. “What sees the light of day bit by bit every day is an attitude that can only have one consequence: resignation,” he told the “Rheinische Post”. If the head of the Free Voters stays in office longer, it will “become more and more of a problem” for Markus Söder, too, said Wiese.
A new state parliament will be elected in Bavaria on October 8th. According to all the latest polls, the CSU and Free Voters can continue to govern afterwards. Söder said on Tuesday that he wanted to continue the coalition. However, coalitions were “not dependent on a single person”. The Free Voters in Bavaria rallied behind Aiwanger and complained about a “smear campaign”.
“All questions must be clarified beyond doubt. There must be no suspicion left,” said Söder on Wednesday. Aiwanger now has the opportunity to express himself reasonably, fairly and comprehensively. “We should also receive a timely and highly transparent answer, so that we can then have a credible discussion about how we assess it.”
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
