On a wet evening in Suhl, in the former East Germany, a smattering of youthful faces were among hundreds lining up to hear from an unlikely idol \u2013 Bj\u00f6rn H\u00f6cke, one of the most controversial figures in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. <\/p>\n
H\u00f6cke, a former history teacher, has been found guilty of using Nazi terminology in a speech and has faced criticism for his views even within the AfD, seen as a pariah by Germany\u2019s mainstream parties. <\/p>\n
This mattered little though at the non-descript hall tucked away in a deserted shopping center in Suhl. When asked about his popularity among young people and if he is a good role model, he was clear in his answer. <\/p>\n
H\u00f6cke is capable of pulling a big crowd, he is lauded in these parts. The AfD\u2019s victory in the state in elections last year made it the first party to win any sort of election since the Nazi era. <\/p>\n
Yet the trend of young voters choosing the AfD for their politics is a phenomenon that is a rising across Germany. <\/p>\n
Polls for the upcoming election on Sunday, and the AfD\u2019s success in regional elections last year, show the party has transformed from regional to national force. <\/p>\n
If European election results last year \u2013 which saw an 18% increase in 16\u201334-year-olds voting for the AfD \u2013 are a barometer, the rise nationally among the same group could form a significant part of the AfD\u2019s likely climb into second place. <\/p>\n
The AfD in Thuringia is designated an extremist organization by German domestic intelligence and H\u00f6cke is its leader. <\/p>\n
But many of the young people we spoke to didn\u2019t attempt to hide their admiration for H\u00f6cke, with some saying they came specifically to listen to him. <\/p>\n
Dante Reidel, a 26-year-old student, standing next to a stall selling the German far-right magazine \u201cCompact,\u201d said he is also a designated extremist. <\/p>\n
For Reidel, H\u00f6cke is an idol, \u201cit\u2019s also about the personalities\u2026 who embody certain values. And what I really appreciate about H\u00f6cke is that he is honest\u2026 and he speaks plainly.\u201d <\/p>\n
He details some of his ideology and what he views as important to him. In particular the veneration of nationalistic, expansionist and militaristic periods of history. <\/p>\n
\u201cPrussian virtues, things like diligence, discipline. These are things that are important, including the cardinal virtues from antiquity,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
The Young Alternatives are also nationally designated as extremists. It is part of the reason that they recently voted to disband and reform more formally under central AfD control. Engelhardt says the designation is a conspiracy against them and that they have no extremists in their ranks. <\/p>\n
When asked about why so many young people are voting for the AfD, he repeats the now-common AfD refrain. <\/p>\n
\u201cMigration is the mother of all crises. We have a lot of illegal immigrants in this country\u2026 who are not behaving. And I think that many of the problems we have today\u2026 are also caused by migration, by uncontrolled mass immigration,\u201d Engelhardt says. <\/p>\n
The same week, a car driven by an Afghan migrant tore through a peaceful protest in central Munich. A 36-year-old woman and a 2-year-old died from their injuries. <\/p>\n