During his trial at the state court in Halle, prominent far-right figure Björn Höcke asserted his innocence in response to charges of using a Nazi slogan. The trial comes ahead of a regional election in Thuringia, where Höcke intends to run for the governor's position. The specific charge against him involves the use of symbols associated with unconstitutional organizations, which carries a potential penalty of a fine or up to three years in prison.
The accusation stems from a speech Höcke delivered in Merseburg in May 2021, where he concluded with the phrase “Everything for Germany!” Prosecutors argue that this phrase, historically linked to the Nazis’ SA stormtroopers, was knowingly employed by Höcke. In his defense, Höcke claims that the expression is a common saying rather than a reference to its Nazi origins.
