The leadership of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has opened an inquiry into Alexander Eichwald after the youth activist delivered a speech said to mirror the rhetoric of former Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, German press agency DPA reported.
Speaking at the founding meeting of the AfD's youth organization, Generation Germany, Eichwald began by discussing his "love and loyalty to Germany," how animals have breeds, and about "foreign influences" on German culture, according to German site Suddeutsche Zeitung (SZ).
AfD politician Tino Chrupalla said that in the content of his remarks and in the way he presented his candidacy for a leadership position, Eichwald distanced himself from the party’s principles.
During the address, Eichwald referred to participants at the meeting as “party comrades” and claimed it was part of “our national duty to defend German culture from foreign influences.”
Eichwald, who rolled letters in a way compared to Hitler, claimed his accent was because he is of German-Russian origin.
Far Right Activist gives speech resembling Hitler
Some participants speculated that his appearance was part of a comedic stunt intended to damage the AfD’s image, according to SZ. He had previously appeared online under the name "Alex Oak" as a musician and artist, leading some to believe the speech was meant as a statement of some kind.
Adding to this theory, BILD reported he completed an internship at the equal opportunities office in Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia, in 2019 - a placement that would be expressly against the Right-wing principles of AfD.
However, Eichwald reportedly told DPA journalists while leaving the event that he had meant the speech.
“Whether a left-wing provocateur, an informant, or simply crazy – anyone who behaves like that has no place in the AfD or its youth organization,” AfD politician and chairman of the AfD youth organization Generation Germany, Jean-Pascal Hohm, told the DPA on Sunday.
Eichwald reportedly joined the Herford district association on October 5 of this year and declared his membership in the youth organization on October 15.
AfD brings ‘new blood’ with youth wing
The controversial political party dissolved its formerly affiliated organization earlier this year in what is thought to have been a tactical move to avoid being banned in Germany, Politico reported.
The new youth organization comes as part of the party's efforts to attract talented youth to bring “new blood” to the party, Hohm stated.
“We will need new blood,” Hohm, who himself joined the party at only 17. “We need to identify talented people early on.”
The youth division is open to those aged below 36.
While Hohm may have attempted to draw in new talents, the event also saw the attention of thousands of protesters who descended on Giessen on Saturday, DW News and the Associated Press reported.
Protests turned violent as police clashed with demonstrators and were forced to use pepper spray and water cannons.
The approximately 25,000 protesters caused a two-hour delay to the AfD conference.