Charlotte Knobloch, president of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, expressed her concern regarding the electoral victory of the nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the Saxony-Anhalt state election. In an interview with DW, Knobloch stated that the results have led some Jewish individuals to consider leaving Germany. She emphasized that it took decades for Jews in Germany to regain trust in the country after the Holocaust, a trust that is now threatened by the rise of the AfD, which received almost 44% of the vote in the September 6 election. Although AfD lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund did not achieve an absolute majority, he has a significant chance of becoming the next premier, marking a potential first for a right-wing extremist party in post-World War II Germany.
Knobloch remarked, "We can't allow any of those people to become state premier. It is a very dangerous situation at the moment, in my view. I hope the other parties realize that and stand up against it. They can do it. It requires some courage." At nearly 94 years old, Knobloch is one of the last surviving witnesses of the Nazi regime and has been a prominent figure in Jewish life in Germany. She reflected on her past, stating that she thinks about the Holocaust daily, and noted the increasing antisemitism in Germany, which she believes has reached a level not seen in the past decade.
Knobloch criticized established political parties for not adequately addressing the threat posed by the AfD and called for a collective response to the issue. She emphasized the need for politicians to engage more with young people and address their fears, as many are hesitant to express their opinions publicly. Following her comments against the AfD, Knobloch received death threats linked to the party's election victory, prompting her to cancel her attendance at a scheduled event. The threats were discovered by a witness and reported to the police, highlighting the tensions surrounding the recent election results.