Elon Musk has stirred controversy with comments that appear to align him with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which challenges Germany’s Erinnerungskultur (culture of remembrance) around the Nazi era. At an AfD rally, Musk stated that Germany should “move on” from its “past guilt,” specifically referring to the legacy of the Nazi regime. This statement was met with applause from the far-right party, which has long criticized the culture of remembrance as fostering a sense of collective guilt that undermines the German spirit. Musk’s comments echo this rhetoric, with his assertion that children should not feel guilty for the sins of their ancestors, a reference to Nazi crimes.
Jewish groups, including Dani Dayan from Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial center, have expressed outrage. They argue that remembering the atrocities of the past is central to preventing a repeat of history and safeguarding Germany’s democratic future. Musk’s stance also supports the AfD’s ongoing efforts to minimize the severity of Nazi crimes, a narrative previously espoused by AfD figures like Alexander Gauland, who infamously downplayed the Nazi era as a mere “speck of bird poop” in Germany’s history, and Björn Höcke, who has called for a “180-degree turn” in how Germany remembers its past, even denouncing the Holocaust memorial in Berlin.
Musk’s comments ignore the fact that in Germany, no one is advocating for children to feel guilty for Nazi-era atrocities. Instead, the focus is on educating younger generations about the past so that they can apply its lessons responsibly. However, studies show that Holocaust knowledge among young Germans is waning, with misinformation about the event on the rise. Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently emphasized the importance of preserving Holocaust memory as survivors age, warning that if the lessons of history are forgotten, democracy itself could be endangered.
Critics, like Scholz’s SPD party member Carmen Wegge, argue that figures like Musk and the AfD may have a vested interest in fostering historical amnesia, which could have dangerous implications for Germany’s future.
