"His Tone and Gestures Are Just Like Hitler"... Far-Right Politician's Speech Sparks Uproar

Delivering a Speech with Hitler-like Pronunciation, Pledging "Loyalty to Germany"
Some Speculate It Was a Performance Mocking the Far-Right

A young politician from Germany's far-right party has sparked controversy by delivering a speech and making gestures reminiscent of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. On December 1, Yonhap News, citing German media such as Tagesspiegel, reported that Alexander Eichewald, who ran for the executive committee election at the launch ceremony of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) youth organization held in Giessen, Hesse on November 29, gave a speech and made gestures that appeared to imitate Hitler.

Alexander Eichewald, who ran for the executive committee election at the launch ceremony of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) youth organization. YouTube channel 'AfD TV'

Wearing a blue tailcoat and standing at the podium, he delivered his speech with a pronounced "er" sound, rolling his tongue fiercely like Hitler and using various gestures. Eichewald declared, "Here, we share our love and loyalty for Germany," and "It is our national duty to protect German culture from external influences." He also addressed the audience as "party comrades."

Although "party comrades" (Parteigenossen) is a common noun, it was frequently used by Hitler and Nazi Party members in the past. For this reason, it is now rarely used in German politics to avoid any possible misunderstandings. As the video of the speech spread online, many noted that his tone, gestures, and content all resembled Hitler. After the speech ended, one audience member booed, asking, "Are you an intelligence agency spy?" Some speculated that it was a performance meant to mock far-right forces. Eichewald reportedly joined AfD in early November and is known to have an artistic background, but even the party has not been able to clearly identify him.

Wearing a blue tailcoat and standing at the podium, he delivered a speech, rolling his tongue fiercely with an "er" sound like Hitler and waving his index finger. YouTube channel 'AfD TV'

Within AfD, conspiracy theories have emerged, including suspicions of infiltration by progressive groups. In response, co-chairman Tino Chrupalla announced, "We will review his party membership," signaling possible disciplinary action such as expulsion. Jean-Pascal Hom, who was elected as the youth organization's leader, emphasized, "Whether he is a left-wing agitator, an intelligence agency spy, or simply insane, such a person should not be in AfD or its youth organization." As the controversy grew, Eichewald explained that he pronounced the "er" sound that way because he is of Russian descent. When asked by DPA whether he was serious about his speech, he gave only a brief reply: "Yes."