Historian warns companies against proximity to AfD

Historian Andrea Schneider-Braunberger, managing director of the Society for Corporate History, has advised companies to maintain a clear distinction from the AfD and other political fringe parties. Speaking to Handelsblatt, she warned that normalizing such parties makes them socially acceptable, noting that entering a government involves dealing with the entire party.

Drawing historical parallels, Schneider-Braunberger noted that during the National Socialist era, entrepreneurs initially cooperated with the regime without immediate economic compulsion. It was only later, around 1936/37, when resources and labor became scarce, that many joined the NSDAP to secure their business survival. She emphasized that ideological proximity to the Nazi regime often provided no economic advantage.

She observed parallels between current societal uncertainty and the Great Depression, suggesting that modern companies should instead leverage over 70 years of democratic experience to contribute to social stability.