A tense confrontation occurred at a memorial ceremony in Berlin on Monday, as a descendant of an executed Nazi opponent attempted to remove a wreath laid by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The event marked the 82nd anniversary of the failed July 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.
Tobias Korenke, who is the great-nephew of the theologian and Protestant pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, sought to clear the floral tribute placed by the AfD’s parliamentary group at the site where the main plotters were executed. During the resulting scuffle with security officers, the wreath was damaged. Bonhoeffer himself was associated with the resistance plotters and was executed in 1945.
"Many descendants, myself included, feel really great anger when we see AfD laying wreaths here," Korenke stated following the incident, adding, "We will not accept this."
The AfD, which currently serves as the largest opposition party in Germany after finishing second in last year's national election, has faced persistent accusations of extremism, which the party vehemently denies. AfD lawmaker Götz Frömming defended the party's presence, noting that as a group represented in the German parliament, they are invited to attend such official ceremonies. While the party confirmed they provided the wreath, it remained unclear if any specific AfD members were physically present at the site.
The historical context of the memorial involves Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who attempted to kill Hitler with a briefcase bomb at the dictator's East Prussian headquarters. The assassination attempt failed after the briefcase was moved next to a table leg, which deflected the blast. Following the failed coup, von Stauffenberg and his co-conspirators were executed within hours. Despite the disruption, the memorial ceremony proceeded as scheduled, featuring a speech by Education Minister Karin Prien.
The act of protest drew mixed reactions from other descendants. Karl von Stauffenberg, a grandson of the colonel, told Welt television that while he believes the AfD is attempting to exploit his grandfather’s memory, he argued against preventing the party from participating. "We are democrats… we must see that we also allow people who think differently to speak," he said.
