AfD leaders Chrupalla and Siegmund face backlash after singing East German anthem at campaign event

At a campaign rally in Dessau‑Rößlau, Saxony‑Anhalt, AfD co‑chair Tino Chrupalla and state election candidate Ulrich Siegmund joined cabaret artist Uwe Steimle in singing the former East German anthem “Auferstanden aus Ruinen”. The performance, which was intended to segue into the German national anthem, sparked immediate criticism. Chancellor’s office spokesman Thorsten Frei called the act “extremely unsettling”, and the SED victims commissioner Evelyn Zupke condemned it as a “trivialisation of the DDR dictatorship”.

The party tried to downplay the incident, initially denying that Chrupalla sang, then deleting related posts from its social‑media accounts. Video footage confirmed that both Chrupalla and Siegmund sang parts of the hymn, after which the German anthem was performed. The controversy prompted a criminal investigation of Steimle for alleged public‑order offences, and the AfD faced internal tensions, with some party members publicly denouncing the episode.

The incident occurs weeks before the Saxony‑Anhalt state election on 6 September, where the AfD leads polls with around 40‑45 % support, positioning it for a possible parliamentary majority. Separate coverage highlighted Siegmund’s motor‑bike campaign, riding vintage Simson scooters to appeal to eastern voters, underscoring the party’s focus on regional identity and anti‑immigration rhetoric.