AfD politician Tillschneider blocked by human chain at Halle memorial

Representatives of the Jewish Student Union of Germany block the entrance to the synagogue in Halle in front of Hans-Thomas Tillschneider (AfD). Source: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa

AfD politician Hans-Thomas Tillschneider was prevented from attending a memorial event for the victims of the antisemitic attack in Halle. After a prolonged discussion, he left the synagogue premises.

Incident at the Memorial

Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, a member of the state parliament for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, attempted to participate in the memorial ceremony marking the anniversary of the antisemitic attack on the Halle synagogue. According to a spokesperson for the Halle Police Inspectorate, Tillschneider sought to enter the synagogue grounds shortly before the memorial began at midday.

Several attendees formed a human chain at the entrance to the grounds, blocking the politician from joining the event. Police confirmed this was a spontaneous gathering. Members of the assembly authority mediated between Tillschneider and the demonstrators, and the situation remained calm. After an extended discussion, the AfD politician ultimately left the scene.

Reactions from Jewish Community Representatives

"A confirmed far-right party chairman has no place at our memorial. We will not allow this commemoration to be co-opted. This is first and foremost about the victims," said Noami Tamir of the Jewish Student Union of Germany (JSUD) to the Jüdische Allgemeine.

According to reports, Tillschneider stated he had been invited, but the students countered that the attack was motivated by far-right conspiracy theories of the kind promoted by the AfD politician. The AfD is classified as a far-right extremist organization in Saxony-Anhalt. Nevertheless, the party won the state election in September, and Tillschneider was elected Vice President of the new state parliament in Magdeburg on Tuesday.

Community Leader's Statement

Max Privorozki, chairman of the Jewish community, told the Jüdische Allgemeine that no house ban had been issued against Hans-Thomas Tillschneider. "It was a public event; he could have come," Privorozki said. However, he added that Tillschneider had not received a personal invitation.

Memorial Events

Multiple events are being held in Halle today to commemorate the victims of the antisemitic attack on the synagogue seven years ago. Acting Minister-President Sven Schulze and his predecessor Reiner Haseloff (both CDU) are also attending the memorial.

Tillschneider's Response

Tillschneider addressed the incident on X (formerly Twitter), writing: "The image accurately captures the situation. I was supposed to and wanted to attend the memorial for the terrible rampage in Halle as a representative of Tobias Rausch. A group of fanatical students insulted me as a Nazi and denied me entry to the synagogue." He stated that since neither the city of Halle's regulatory authority nor the police intervened, and no one else stopped the students, he left out of respect for the office he was representing.

Criticism from Central Council of Jews

Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, sharply criticized Tillschneider for his appearance. "It was and remains the wish of the Jewish community in Halle to dedicate this day of remembrance to the victims of the horrific attack on October 9, 2019, and to allow no political instrumentalization whatsoever. By attempting to participate, AfD politician Hans-Thomas Tillschneider trampled on this wish," he told the Jüdische Allgemeine.

"Tillschneider may invoke his role as Vice President of the state parliament – but the fact that he is also the leading figure and ideologue of the AfD state association, which is classified as a confirmed far-right extremist organization, leaves more than a bitter aftertaste."

Background: The 2019 Attack

On October 9, 2019, a heavily armed far-right extremist attempted to break into the synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Failing to gain entry, he shot and killed a 40-year-old woman outside and a 20-year-old man at a nearby kebab shop.

During his escape, the attacker injured numerous other people before being apprehended by police. The Naumburg Higher Regional Court sentenced him in 2020 to life imprisonment with subsequent preventive detention.

Source: dpa/saha