Malcolm Hilgartner

When they arrived, they found themselves in the middle of a battle reenactment, like the ones done for the American Civil War. But this battle seemed to be from World War II, and some of the participants were wearing SS uniforms. The uniforms crossed the line for rights. He said he left the event immediately. Still, I asked him if he had ever confronted the AFD supporter about the uniforms.

When they arrived, they found themselves in the middle of a battle reenactment, like the ones done for the American Civil War. But this battle seemed to be from World War II, and some of the participants were wearing SS uniforms. The uniforms crossed the line for rights. He said he left the event immediately. Still, I asked him if he had ever confronted the AFD supporter about the uniforms.

We still have to have that conversation, he told me. Reitz kept driving through the flat landscape toward Vienna. Around sunset, the phone rang, and Reitz answered it, exchanging a few words with the caller before he hung up. I asked him who it was. "'The man I told you about,' he said. "'I told him now wasn't a good time to talk.'"

We still have to have that conversation, he told me. Reitz kept driving through the flat landscape toward Vienna. Around sunset, the phone rang, and Reitz answered it, exchanging a few words with the caller before he hung up. I asked him who it was. "'The man I told you about,' he said. "'I told him now wasn't a good time to talk.'"

Even if the Volksbund is cautious in its dealings with AFD members, Germany's far-right party is vocal about its support for the group and its mission. On the AFD website, a petition by its leader, Alice Weidel, lists funding the group as one of its legislative priorities, along with establishing a National Day for Unborn Life and a plan to block Gazan refugees from entering Germany.

Even if the Volksbund is cautious in its dealings with AFD members, Germany's far-right party is vocal about its support for the group and its mission. On the AFD website, a petition by its leader, Alice Weidel, lists funding the group as one of its legislative priorities, along with establishing a National Day for Unborn Life and a plan to block Gazan refugees from entering Germany.

Jan Philipp Totsen, an AFD State Parliament member in Germany's northeastern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, told me that he is both a Volksbund donor and that he likes to lay wreaths at its ceremonies from the AFD. The Volksbund does have supporters across the political spectrum.

Jan Philipp Totsen, an AFD State Parliament member in Germany's northeastern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, told me that he is both a Volksbund donor and that he likes to lay wreaths at its ceremonies from the AFD. The Volksbund does have supporters across the political spectrum.

Several Volksbund officials I talked to said their biggest political patrons belonged to the Christian Democratic Union, Germany's center-right party. One Green Party member I contacted told me she supported the group because it promoted peace and was opposed to far-right extremism.

Several Volksbund officials I talked to said their biggest political patrons belonged to the Christian Democratic Union, Germany's center-right party. One Green Party member I contacted told me she supported the group because it promoted peace and was opposed to far-right extremism.

Still, the possibility that far-right extremists could co-opt the Volksbund is a concern for some, including its former leadership. I fear this organization is at huge risk of being instrumentalized. Markus Meckel, the Volksbund's president until 2016, told me when I met him in Berlin.

Still, the possibility that far-right extremists could co-opt the Volksbund is a concern for some, including its former leadership. I fear this organization is at huge risk of being instrumentalized. Markus Meckel, the Volksbund's president until 2016, told me when I met him in Berlin.

Meckel, a former Protestant pastor, grew up in East Germany, where the communist regime refused to build World War II memorials because they were seen as inherently pro-Nazi. An approach Meckel said he didn't agree with because it sidestepped the hard questions of history. When he came to lead the Volksbund in 2013, however, he said he was startled by the group's emphasis on commemoration.

Meckel, a former Protestant pastor, grew up in East Germany, where the communist regime refused to build World War II memorials because they were seen as inherently pro-Nazi. An approach Meckel said he didn't agree with because it sidestepped the hard questions of history. When he came to lead the Volksbund in 2013, however, he said he was startled by the group's emphasis on commemoration.

There was this attitude there of, our poor boys, look at what happened to them in the battlefield, he said. For an organization so concerned with the past, the Volksbund had seemed to sideline the mantra of, never again. Merkel decided he would undertake a reform project of the Volksbund.

There was this attitude there of, our poor boys, look at what happened to them in the battlefield, he said. For an organization so concerned with the past, the Volksbund had seemed to sideline the mantra of, never again. Merkel decided he would undertake a reform project of the Volksbund.

After having a look at the materials being distributed by the group, he found most of them to be inappropriate. For example, commemoration books for dead Wehrmacht soldiers that told about their lives but left out any information on the crimes German soldiers committed, or Christmas cards sent to families who had donated that told sad stories from the Western Front.

After having a look at the materials being distributed by the group, he found most of them to be inappropriate. For example, commemoration books for dead Wehrmacht soldiers that told about their lives but left out any information on the crimes German soldiers committed, or Christmas cards sent to families who had donated that told sad stories from the Western Front.

The flyers the Volksbund distributed at its cemeteries focused mainly on the architecture. But there was nothing about the war, nothing about why the soldiers were even there, he said. Meckel ordered the publications to cease until they could be rewritten.

The flyers the Volksbund distributed at its cemeteries focused mainly on the architecture. But there was nothing about the war, nothing about why the soldiers were even there, he said. Meckel ordered the publications to cease until they could be rewritten.