BSW in Brandenburg cannot escape the crisis – now the deputy head of the parliamentary group Christian Dorst has also resigned. He showed his understanding of a quote by AfD politician Ulrich Siegmund, who was accused of relativizing the Nazi era.
In Brandenburg, deputy head of the BSW state parliamentary group Christian Dorst resigned following his reaction to the AfD’s controversial statements about the Nazi era. BSW parliamentary group leader Niels-Olaf Lüders announced that Dorst had announced his resignation as deputy of the parliamentary group. The BSW parliamentary group is currently in serious crisis after four parties withdrew, which also caused the SPD/BSW coalition to falter.
Dorst responded to statements by AfD Saxony-Anhalt’s main candidate for the 2026 state election, Ulrich Siegmund, on Portal In an episode of the podcast “Politico”, Siegmund said when asked whether the Nazi era was “the worst of humanity”: “I don’t dare to judge that because I can’t accept humanity as a whole and of course I have to learn from all the crimes of humanity.”
The former deputy of the BSW parliamentary group, Dorst, showed understanding of the statements of the main AfD candidate. Siegmund’s statement can be seen as “a precursor to Holocaust denial.” “However, you can evaluate it in a different way.” True to the motto: “I know that I know nothing,” explains Dorst. This latest interpretation makes AfD officials look very different from previous interpretations.
Dorst also attacked the president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, for his reaction to Siegmund’s remarks. Schuster has explained: “It is difficult to avoid the impression that Mr. Siegmund’s statements reflect a clear sympathy for the National Socialist era.” Dorst wrote in So there remains the impression that “for some representatives, there is absolutely no limit to the arbitrary misuse or instrumentalization of the Holocaust. Such things disgust me.”
Lüders explained, referring to his party colleague Dorst: “When he resigned, he made it clear that he had no doubts about the uniqueness of the Holocaust.” Lüders also wrote: “Christian Dorst’s chosen and increasingly occupied role as an aggressive political commentator on social media is incompatible with the role of deputy head of the parliamentary group. That is why the declaration of resignation is logical.” Dorst will respond personally to the allegations made against him as soon as possible.
Crisis in BSW state parliamentary group
Building contractor Dorst has been a member of Brandenburg’s state parliament since October 2024. He also played a role in the faction’s current crisis. After four BSW MPs left the party, a slim majority rejected the fourth’s motion of no confidence against parliamentary group leader Lüders and deputy Dorst.
It was about two controversial government media contracts at BSW. Dorst then attacked BSW Finance Minister Robert Crumbach, who supported state contracts. He suggested that he relinquish his mandate as a member of parliament.
dpa/lay
