Official: Germany's far-right AfD helping make anti-Semitism 'presentable'
BERLIN - A senior German government official accused the opposition far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party of helping make anti-Semitism "presentable" again in Germany by challenging a longtime consensus about how to deal with its Nazi past.
Felix Klein, who holds a newly created government post tasked with fighting anti-Semitism, said in remarks to online newsite watson.de on Thursday that the AfD tolerated party members calling for a new "culture of remembrance".
"I don't want to say the AfD is anti-Semitic, per se, but it tolerates representatives who are demanding a new policy of remembrance," he said. "They initiated this discussion about drawing a line (under the Holocaust) and that is very dangerous because it helps make anti-Semitism presentable again."
The AfD had no immediate comment on Klein's comments. The party has denied being anti-Semitic or racist but has drawn sharp criticism for not sanctioning a key party figure after he called for a "180 degree turnaround" in the way Germany seeks to atone for Nazi crimes.
