Far-right German lawmaker faces scrutiny after photo appears to show Nazi salute – POLITICO

BERLIN — A senior lawmaker in the far-right Alternative for Germany party is under mounting pressure after a newly surfaced photograph appears to show him making a Nazi salute — an allegation he denies, insisting the gesture was intended as a joke.

The previously unpublished image, obtained by POLITICO’s Inside AfD podcast, shows Martin Reichardt, a member of Germany’s federal parliament, raising his left arm while smiling during a gathering six years ago. While Reichardt denies the gesture was meant to be a Nazi salute, two people who were in attendance, granted anonymity due to the sensitivity of the manner, said it was intended as one.

“It wasn’t a Hitler salute,” Reichardt said when asked by POLITICO. Rather, he said, the gesture was part of “a humorous knighting ceremony” performed with one of the men present.