The Alternative for Germany party has outraged many across the country with a plan to distribute fake flight tickets to migrants in the southwestern city of Karlsruhe, with federal elections set for next month.
These fliers, in the form and appearance of a real plane ticket, bear this message in print: “In your home country, it’s also nice.” This most provocative action really refers one’s mind back to Nazi Germany when, ahead of the Holocaust, phony tickets to Jerusalem were provided “free, never to return.” The Nazis killed almost six million Jews over the course of their rule. The AfD has faced controversy in the past, with allegations the group fosters neo-Nazi associations and ideas.
Parliamentary elections in Germany are due on February 23, and recent opinion polls put the AfD in second place, after the ruling Social Democratic Party of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which is expected to win by a landslide.
Ahead of the elections, the AfD promised “large-scale repatriations” of migrants in case of an electoral victory. Most strikingly, the party received support from Elon Musk, who is linked to efforts to bolster right-wing movements across the West as part of a broader strategy to challenge moderate governments.
Against this backdrop, the police have now started an investigation against the possible incitement of hatred, broadcaster SWR said. The fliers were distributed in areas with large migrant populations, raising concerns about targeted messaging.
The AfD has denied any accusations of selective distribution, maintaining that the fliers were distributed across Karlsruhe. “The election flyer is currently being distributed in Karlsruhe in as large a number as possible and without any particular specifications or restrictions,” said the party in a statement. The party also insists that its suggestions are in line with the current legal frameworks.
