Elon Musk encouraged attendees at a far-right rally in Germany not to harbor feelings of “guilt” regarding their nation’s past.
This unexpected address occurred less than a week after he faced allegations concerning a gesture resembling a “Sieg Heil” salute during a speech at President Donald Trump’s inauguration, an allegation Musk has refuted.
During a campaign event for the right-wing party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), he appeared projected on a large screen and asserted to supporters on Saturday, “It’s perfectly acceptable to take pride in being German. This is an essential principle.”
“I feel that there is, quite frankly, an excessive emphasis on historical guilt (in Germany), and it’s time to transcend that,” Musk elaborated. “Kids should not bear responsibility for the misdeeds of their parents—or their great grandparents.”
Though Musk did not specifically mention Nazism, many interpreted his comments as a response to the widespread sense of collective guilt experienced by numerous Germans following the horrific acts committed during World War II and the Holocaust.
A spokesperson for Musk did not provide an immediate reply to the Daily Beast’s inquiry for clarification regarding his statements.
Last month, Musk faced backlash upon announcing his support for AfD, the third-largest political party in Germany, which is accused by critics of fostering racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia.
“Only AfD can salvage Germany,” Musk stated, positioning himself as a significant adviser and supporter of Trump.
Just before delivering a speech celebrating Trump’s inauguration on the following Monday, Musk adopted an outstretched-arm stance that many commentators—and detractors—said resembled the Roman salute, a gesture often linked to fascist ideologies and Nazism in particular.
Musk dismissed the parallels as “utter propaganda,” yet he seized the occasion to share a series of Nazi-related jokes on X.
This is not the first instance where Musk has been accused of antisemitism.
Responding to a post on X that claimed Jews were inciting “hatred against whites,” Musk remarked in 2023, “What you said is the real truth.”
Facing criticism for amplifying antisemitic conspiracy theories, Musk later retracted the comment, labeling it “foolish.”
