Businessman and founder of Hoffner Krieger donates 18,000 euros to the Alternative for Germany party
A newly revealed political donation has raised fresh controversy around Germany’s right-wing party AfD. A wealthy entrepreneur linked to a major retail chain quietly transferred a five-figure sum to party branches, including one in Chemnitz.
According to the AfD’s financial report published by the Bundestag administration, businessman كورت كريغر donated 18,000 euros in 2024 through his company CMC Center Management GmbH. The donation was split between two AfD branches, one of them in Chemnitz. كريغر, founder of the furniture chain Höffner, is estimated by Forbes to be worth around 1.1 billion euros.
Large donations to AfD from business figures remain rare. Only a few wealthy supporters appear in the party’s list of donors above 10,000 euros. One notable exception is medical technology entrepreneur وينفريد شتوكر, who previously donated 1.5 million euros during a federal election campaign and later added another 50,000 euros in 2024.
The case draws attention because AfD’s local faction in Chemnitz collapsed in 2025 amid allegations of corruption and personal benefits. كريغر had purchased the former Kaufhof department store in the city center in 2023, and in early 2025, the city council approved plans to move parts of the administration into the building with AfD support. Party district chairman نيكو كولر later accused some AfD councillors of receiving unusually low rents for parking spaces in the property and claimed party donations were involved.
The Krieger Group, represented by managing director إيدا ميتس, declined to comment on the donation when questioned by journalists from RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland. Earlier inquiries by local media were also rejected, citing data protection rules. The disclosure of the donation has now renewed scrutiny of AfD’s financing and its ties to powerful business interests.