The verdict in the Höcke trial is welcomed in the press. There is talk of disenchantment. At the same time, the newspapers warn against the AfD’s calculation of pushing the boundaries of what can be said and done – possibly with success. The press review.
After almost a month of negotiations, the verdict in the Hall trial against Björn Höcke has been reached. The chairman of the Thuringian AfD was sentenced by the regional court to a fine of 13,000 euros for giving a public speech in May 2021 with the words “Everything for Germany!” finished. This sentence was engraved on the service dagger of the SA (Sturmabteilung) of the NSDAP. In the court’s opinion, Höcke had consciously used the “characteristics of unconstitutional organizations” and thereby made himself punishable.
After the verdict, Höcke styles himself as a politically persecuted person. He did not knowingly use the banned Nazi slogan. The court did not believe Höcke’s assurances. The verdict is not yet legally binding. This is how the German press commented on his case:
The history teacher Björn Höcke claims to have known nothing
“It’s a verdict with appeal: the German state doesn’t stand by and shrug its shoulders when new-right politicians chant old-right slogans. And shouting ‘I didn’t know’ doesn’t work as an argument in court in such cases. That’s a good thing. To a certain extent Basic knowledge about the history of National Socialism can be expected in Germany. The fact that the former history teacher Björn Höcke, of all people, did not want to know this is a special point of this scandal.
“Although Björn Höcke was sentenced to pay a fine, from his perspective the Thuringian AfD leader still did not lose the trial before the Halle regional court. He will be happy to pay the 100 daily rates of 130 euros each because the trial will give him recognition in right-wing extremist circles – and because he was able to make the liberal-democratic system, which he rejects, a little ridiculous. He, the history teacher, who uses the language of the Nazis with perfidious joy, does not want to have known that ‘Everything for Germany’ central SA slogan? Sure, and the Pope is an atheist.”
“ “With the Halle verdict, the constitutional state is showing that it will not allow itself to be blinded by hypocritical excuses. But for Höcke, words are only the first step. It is part of the strategy of the New Right and its pioneers with intellectual attitudes to push the boundaries. First the limits of what can be said, later the limits of what is possible. Höcke doesn’t just talk like those who led Germany into its darkest chapter. He also wants to do politics like them once he is in power .”
“ “One can argue about the limits and usefulness of criminal law with regard to such characteristics. But it was precisely the enemies of the nation who called themselves national. Those who led Germany in name plunged their own country into the abyss. They seduced Many people literally give their all. Anyone who leans on such traitors today is judging themselves.”
“This is not the year of the AfD, it is the year of its disenchantment. There are the public fantasies about a ‘remigration’ of immigrants. The discovery of a suspected spy in the top candidate for the European elections and the verdict from Münster, according to which the party Law is classified as a suspected right-wing extremist case and now the guilty verdict against Björn Höcke follows. At least a significant part of the AfD is not based on the constitution, but this has rarely been made clear before.
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.
