Namibia Condemns AFD Deputy Leader Sven Tritschler for Wreath Laying at Infamous Schutztruppe Officer’s Grave

The Government of the Republic of Namibia condemns in the strongest possible terms the deplorable and repugnant act by Mr. Sven Tritschler, Deputy Leader of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) Parliamentary faction from the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany, and his colleague, by laying a memorial wreath at the grave site of an infamous officer of the notorious “Schutztruppe”, while on a recent visit to Namibia as a member of the parliamentary delegation from NRW, to familiarise themselves with the situation in the country, in view of the historic injustices during colonial times, and identify suitable courses of action for Germany to come to terms with colonialism and its heinous acts of the premeditated genocide against the Herero and Nama.

Namibia further deplores the subsequent posting of a photo of this dishonourable act by Mr. Sven Tritschler on X captioned “Incidentally, the narrative of the ‘innocent’ Herero and Nama population who fell victim to ‘criminal’ German solders is historically untenable.” Such acts of the rehabilitation of revisionist colonial ideologies by some members of the AfD are provocative and unacceptable.

While the German government is yet to fully atone for the genocide it committed on Namibian soil, this act is nothing short of despicable and dishonourable but also evokes unequalled pain and suffering for the victims and derides all attempts of the current negotiations working towards reconciliation.

It reveals utter ignorance and moral failure on the side of Mr. Sven Tritschler and his colleague and should resolutely be condemned and denounced unreservedly.