German prosecutors have formally charged a parliamentarian from the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party for allegedly making an illegal Nazi salute on the premises of the national parliament.
The Alleged Incident at the Reichstag
According to a statement issued by Berlin prosecutors on Monday, the incident occurred in June 2023 at the historic Reichstag building, which houses the Bundestag. The suspect is accused of greeting a fellow party member "with a heel click and a Hitler salute" at the building's east entrance.
The prosecutors emphasised that the accused, named by the Bild newspaper as Matthias Moosdorf, a 60-year-old MP for Zwickau in Saxony, was allegedly aware that the gesture was visible to others in the area. Performing such a salute is a criminal offence in Germany under laws banning the use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to three years.
Political Fallout and Denial
In light of the allegations, Moosdorf was stripped of his parliamentary immunity in October 2023, paving the way for legal proceedings. However, the MP has publicly contested the charge. On Monday, he took to the social media platform X to deny having made the gesture.
The case adds to a series of controversies surrounding the politician. Moosdorf, a trained cellist and honorary professor at a Moscow music academy as of October 2024, had previously served as a foreign policy spokesperson for the AfD's parliamentary group. He was relieved of this duty in May 2023 after his perceived friendliness towards Russia caused internal party friction.
Legal and Symbolic Significance
The charge underscores Germany's stringent legal framework designed to combat the revival of Nazi ideology. The Reichstag, a potent symbol of German democracy, makes the location of the alleged act particularly sensitive. This prosecution highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the AfD, which has faced repeated scrutiny over the conduct of its members and its stance on historical memory.
The case against Moosdorf will now proceed through the German courts, testing the enforcement of laws against extremist symbolism at the very heart of the country's political power.
