A wreath-laying incident occurred at a Berlin memorial site on July 20 marking the 82nd anniversary of a failed assassination attempt against Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Tobias Korenke, a great-nephew of executed Protestant pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, attempted to remove a wreath placed by the parliamentary group of Alternative for Germany, or AfD. Security personnel intervened during the attempt, resulting in damage to the wreath.
Korenke expressed strong opposition to the far-right party’s participation in the commemoration, stating that descendants of those who resisted Nazi rule feel anger at seeing AfD present wreaths at such events. The party’s attendance at official memorial functions has become a point of contention, with critics objecting to its involvement in honoring historical anti-Nazi figures.
Alternative for Germany confirmed it had provided a wreath for the event, though it remained unclear whether party members were present. Party lawmaker Götz Frömming justified the participation by noting that AfD, as a parliamentary party following its strong performance in the previous year’s national election, receives invitations to official state events. The party categorically rejects accusations of extremism.
The original plot being commemorated occurred on July 20, 1944, when Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg attempted to assassinate Hitler with a briefcase bomb. Hitler survived the attack when the device’s position was altered. Stauffenberg and other conspirators were executed shortly after; Bonhoeffer was executed in 1945 for his association with the resistance movement.
Karl von Stauffenberg, a grandson of the bomb plotter, told media outlets that while he believed AfD was attempting to exploit his grandfather’s historical legacy, he opposed restricting the party’s right to participate in such commemorations. He characterized the position as consistent with democratic principles of allowing diverse viewpoints. The memorial event proceeded as scheduled with remarks from Education Minister Karin Prien.