The US-based tycoon argued that Germans should not “focus on past guilt”
The chairman of Israel’s Holocaust museum has accused tech billionaire Elon Musk of insulting the victims of Nazism and undermining democracy following his speech in support of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
During a surprise appearance at an AfD campaign event on Saturday, ahead of next month’s snap parliamentary elections, Musk urged Germans to be proud of their culture and values.
“There is too much focus on past guilt,” Musk said. “Children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great-grandparents.”
In a post on X on Sunday, Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, argued that “the remembrance and acknowledgment of the dark past of the country and its people should be central in shaping German society.” He added: “Failing to do so is an insult to the victims of Nazism and a clear danger to the democratic future of Germany.”
While some current and former AfD members have made controversial comments regarding Germany’s Nazi past, its leaders have denied that the party is anything like Adolf Hitler.
Musk publicly endorsed the AfD last December, calling it “the only party that can save Germany” and praising its anti-immigration policies. Earlier this month, he hosted a livestream with AfD co-leader and candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel, on his X platform and reaffirmed his support for the party in an op-ed he wrote for the newspaper Die Welt.
Musk previously drew criticism when on US President Donald Trump’s inauguration day he raised his right arm in a gesture that many interpreted as a Nazi salute. While some responded with memes, others found the gesture offensive. Musk dismissed the backlash, attributing it to “radical leftists” and claiming that his critics “can’t stand being mocked.”
Responding to the outrage, Musk posted a satirical comment on X that included references to Nazi leaders. “Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Goering your enemies!” Musk wrote. “His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming.”
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemned his post, with CEO Jonathan Greenblatt describing it as “inappropriate and offensive.”
