Politics · Germany · 8 hrs ago
Tillschneider’s blocked synagogue visit exposes dispute in Saxony-Anhalt parliament
Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, an AfD politician in Saxony-Anhalt, tried to attend a memorial event at a synagogue in Halle.
The event remembered the victims of the 2019 far-right attack on the synagogue.
Jewish students formed a human chain and stopped him entering, saying they did not want the memorial used for political purposes.
Tillschneider has been criticized for describing the attacker as mentally disturbed and denying the attack’s political motivation.
Saxony-Anhalt’s AfD state parliament president, Tobias Rausch, sent Tillschneider to represent him, although CDU vice-president Carsten Borchert was also available.
Rausch says Borchert could not attend because he had another appointment; Borchert says Rausch told him he would send Tillschneider because he lived in the area, without explaining which event it was.
The two officials plan to meet next week to discuss how they will divide up future duties.
AfD politician Hans-Thomas Tillschneider was blocked from entering a synagogue in Halle during a memorial event for the victims of a 2019 far-right attack.
Jewish students formed a human chain to prevent him from entering, protesting what they saw as an attempt to take over the commemoration.
Saxony-Anhalt parliament president Tobias Rausch said he sent Tillschneider after CDU vice-president Carsten Borchert said he could not attend.
Borchert said Rausch had told him Tillschneider would represent the parliament, but had not explained what event he was attending.
Rausch and Borchert plan to meet to discuss how to divide up official appointments.
- Who
- Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, an AfD politician, was blocked from entering the synagogue. Jewish students formed a human chain.
- What
- Tillschneider tried to attend a memorial event as a representative of the parliament president, but was prevented from entering.
- When
- Friday; the article was published on 12 October 2026.
- Where
- A synagogue in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
- Why
- Tillschneider was sent to represent parliament president Tobias Rausch at a memorial for victims of the 2019 attack. Rausch and CDU vice-president Carsten Borchert disagree about what was said when the appointment was discussed.
Tobias Rausch
Carsten Borchert
What was said about the memorial
Tobias Rausch
Rausch said he asked Borchert whether he could attend the memorial event, and Borchert said he had another appointment.
Carsten Borchert
Borchert said Rausch told him there would be a memorial event in Halle and that Tillschneider would attend, but did not identify the event.
Reason Tillschneider was sent
Tobias Rausch
Rausch said he sent Tillschneider because he thought it was better for someone to attend than for parliament to have no representative.
Carsten Borchert
Borchert did not object to Tillschneider being sent, according to his account, because he said he had no objections at the time.
The state parliament held its constituent session, and elected Borchert as a vice-president.
Rausch and Borchert spoke by phone about appointments, according to both men, though they differ about what was said concerning the memorial.
Tillschneider attempted to attend the memorial event at the synagogue in Halle, but Jewish students blocked his entry.
Rausch and Borchert gave t-online differing accounts of their phone conversation.
Rausch and Borchert plan to meet to discuss how to divide up appointments.
- Memorial
- Event in a Halle synagogue for victims of the 2019 attack
- Blocked visitor
- Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, AfD politician
- Parliament president
- Tobias Rausch, AfD
- Vice-president
- Carsten Borchert, CDU
- Published
- 12 October 2026
What people are saying
We will not let our commemoration be hijacked
trampled on the community’s wish to commemorate the victims of the 2019 attack free from political instrumentalisation
I thought it was better if someone went than if we were not represented at all.
Not a word
Sources
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