Gera (dpa/th) - According to its own statements, the AfD does not want to buy the former Tietz department store in downtown Gera. "The AfD has no interest in buying a property in Gera," said the federal office on Sunday on request. There is also no need to rent rooms or areas there, it said when asked. MDR Thüringen had previously reported that the AfD was interested in the property and that there was a viewing in October.
"A right-wing extremist party center would be a disservice to our city and civil society," said Elisabeth Kaiser, East Thuringia's SPD member of the Bundestag. The city administration must explore all means to put a stop to the purchase of the property by the AfD.
The former department store in the city center is privately owned and has been empty for many years. The Jewish merchant Oscar Tietz opened a textile shop here in 1882, laying the foundation for the "Hermann Tietz" department store chain, which later traded under the abbreviation Hertie and was taken over by competitor Karstadt in the 1990s. On the site of the first shop in Gera, a new building and extension was opened in 1912 - the historic department store building with its monumental columns has been preserved to this day.
A few months ago, the AfD had acquired the Meißener Kornhaus in Saxony and wanted to set up a training center there. However, the planned foreclosure auction of the historic building from the late 15th century was canceled at short notice at the end of June.
