As of: February 6, 2024, 5:10 p.m
By: Volker Ufertinger
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Alexander Lichtfuß (r.) and father Werner Lichtfuß in the workshop: “Nothing to do with the AfD.” © Michael Schönwälder
Krailling's CSU local councilor Alexander Lichtfuß was targeted by the anti-AfD demo in Gauting on Friday - completely wrongly, as he emphasizes.
Krailling
- For Alexander Lichtfuß (49) from Pentenried, local councilor for the CSU in Krailling and a heating engineer by profession, the phone was no longer idle after the anti-AfD demo in Gauting on Friday.
“Everyone wanted to know whether I was with the AfD now,” he says.
This is an unpleasant situation for him as a craftsman; given the current mood, he would have to expect to lose customers.
That's why he makes it clear: “I clearly distance myself from this party.
I have nothing to do with them.” Above all, he has no understanding for the xenophobia that the AfD is fomenting: “You don’t have to come to me about that at all.
I rent to Syrians and work a lot with foreigners.” But how did he come to be suspected of being an AfD sympathizer?
It seems as if Alexander Lichtfuß was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
According to his account, he was drinking coffee with his father Werner, who runs a metalworking shop in Pentenried, when the demonstration, which according to the police included between 80 and 120 people, moved from the post office towards the AfD infomobile in front of the Hypovereinsbank.
He took the opportunity to do what he believes to be politically right: He wanted to talk to the AfD representatives and ask them how they came to this or that claim.
However, it became clear on site that this was not possible; the noise from whistles made any dialogue impossible.
“I only said one sentence to them: You won’t get to talk much today.”
As a result, he was nearby, but not directly at the stand.
With his overalls, which he and his father wear for work, he was suddenly mistaken for an AfD representative between the blue AfD umbrella and the blue table.
When he was repeatedly asked by counter-demonstrators (and also our reporter) who he was, he only answered briefly: “I am a tradesman and a taxpayer.” He does not have the right to reveal more about himself or even to come out as a non-AfD man viewed.
“Why should I justify myself?” he says.
“I'm a democrat and don't have to explain myself.” This gave the impression that Lichtfuß at least sympathizes with the AfD.
“That is not the case at all.
But I am of the opinion that you have to ask people about the content,” he says.
He doesn't want to criticize the counter-demonstrators.
“That is the right of the people, I took part in the farmers’ protests with my father.” Alexander Lichtfuß and his father Werner have a small farm in Pentenried.
The Krailling CSU parliamentary group leader Hans Wechner makes a declaration of honor for his colleague: “Alexander Lichtfuß is far from leaning towards the AfD.
If that were the case, he would never have been on our list.
We are happy to have such a down-to-earth craftsman.” He also agrees that the AfD needs to be substantiated.
“When we vote, we make sure that we take citizens' fears and concerns seriously and do not drive them into the arms of these enemies of democracy.” Was it clumsy not to distance ourselves right there?
“That would certainly have been more elegant.
But in such a heated situation, that’s asking a lot of a volunteer local politician.”
When asked by Merkur, the head of the Gauting police, Andreas Ruch, confirmed that it was not Werner and Alexander Lichtfuß who registered the stand.
“Former state parliament member Christina Wilhelm registered the stand.” The AfD’s election campaign team consisted of a man with walking difficulties and three women.