Africa - Anger for AfD Parliamentarians after wreath-laying in Namibia
Landtag President André Kuper criticized AfD legislator Sven Tritschler sharply after a wreath-laying ceremony in Namibia. The relationships with the Republic of Namibia would suffer heavy damage, wrote Kuper (CDU) to the AfD politician. Tritschler had placed a wreath following a delegation trip at the grave of a German occupation troops officer in the African country.
This action had already caused outrage among other politicians. Among other things, the official program included "processing German colonialism" and a wreath-laying ceremony at a monument for the genocide of the Herero and Nama. Tritschler, in turn, uploaded a photo of himself with a wreath in hand before the grave of a German officer in Swakopmund on social media.
Kuper: Tritschler has damaged the reputation of the Landtag
Kuper expressed his astonishment and demanded that Tritschler cease any future behavior that further damages the dignity of the parliament, according to a Landtag spokesperson: "Consequences are explicitly being examined and reserved."
The President noted in his letter that the incident was not part of the official program of the committee, but a private part of the trip that took place neither on behalf of the President nor the committee.
Kuper wrote further to the AfD legislator: "With this incident, the true intention of the committee trip was deliberately undermined and countered. By your behavior, you have caused significant damage to the reputation of the North Rhine-Westphalia Landtag." Just a few days ago, the Namibian ambassador also registered "substantial criticism," according to Kuper.
Tritschler: "That would be self-evident at any other former colonial power"
Tritschler responded to dpa's inquiry: "During the official delegation visit, we visited two cemeteries where Hereros and Germans are buried. While paying tribute to the Hereros, we passed by the graves of the Germans carelessly. That is not in line with my understanding of reconciliation."
"As a former soldier and German representative," he had felt duty-bound "to also lay a wreath for the fallen protection force soldiers who served under very difficult conditions." Since this was not provided for in the official program, he had done it with an aide in the follow-up, "since we still had several days left in the country on our own expense."
"The letter from the Landtag President is all the more surprising and presumptuous," said Tritschler. He would respond to Kuper "in clear terms that my self-organized trips do not concern him."
- Sven Tritschler, an AfD legislator, faced criticism from Landtag President André Kuper after laying a wreath at a German occupation troops officer's grave during a delegation trip in Namibia.
- Kuper expressed his concern in a letter, stating that Tritschler's actions could cause significant damage to the reputation of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament.
- The incident took place during a private part of the trip and was not included in the official program, according to Kuper's letter.
- Tritschler defended his actions, stating that as a former soldier and German representative, he felt duty-bound to lay a wreath for the fallen protection force soldiers who served under difficult conditions in Namibia.
- The incident sparked "substantial criticism" from the Namibian ambassador, as mentioned by Kuper in his letter.
- Despite Kuper's criticism, Tritschler responded that his self-organized trips do not concern the Landtag President, expressing his disagreement in clear terms.
