[Translated Article] AfD politicians are facing off against each other with swords

AfD politicians are facing off against each other with swords

The AfD in North Rhine-Westphalia is embroiled in a bitter factional struggle. Now, two party officials are set to face off in a duel. The challenge to duel was issued at a party convention.

This Saturday, blood is likely to be shed at the fraternity house of the Alte Hallesche Burschenschaft Rhenania-Salingia: Two fraternity members will face off in a duel. It is a ritual that fraternities have practiced for centuries. In the past, it sometimes resulted in deaths; today, it takes place with protective gear to prevent fatalities.

Two members of different student fraternities will face off in a fencing duel. The eyes, nose, neck, and torso are protected, but the face and head—of all places—remain exposed; they are the target area, the opponent’s aim. Anyone who shows fear, who flinches, or who cries out in pain when struck risks losing the match.

What makes this Saturday’s Mensur special is that, on the so-called “Paukboden,” it’s not just two members of different fraternities facing off as usual—but two AfD officials who belong to the two opposing factions in the party’s fierce internal struggle in North Rhine-Westphalia.

A member of the AfD NRW described this as “absolute madness” in an interview with t-online. “They’re not 21 anymore; they’re elected officials, they’re family men. This is crazy!”

AfD City Council Members Cross Swords

On one side on Saturday will be Matthias Büschges—he has represented the AfD on the Cologne City Council for eleven years and serves as the party’s caucus leader there. In 2025, he ran as the AfD’s candidate for mayor of North Rhine-Westphalia’s largest city. He belongs to the camp of Martin Vincentz, the relatively moderate AfD state leader in North Rhine-Westphalia, and is a member of the Cologne fraternity Alemannia.

On the other side will be Jeremy Franosch. He serves on the AfD’s council caucus in Düsseldorf. Within the AfD’s internal power struggle, the Düsseldorf chapter is considered a stronghold of supporters of far-right extremist Matthias Helferich, who serves in the Bundestag for the AfD and is the party’s cultural policy spokesperson there. Franosch is a member of the Düsseldorf fraternity Rhenania-Salingia.

Vincentz and Helferich have long been engaged in a bitter power struggle within the party, in which ideology now plays only a secondary role. This year, the conflict has reached its peak so far. The rift between the two camps is deep, and the tone is harsh. It is reported that there have already been not only insults but also physical assaults. In May, state executive committee member Sabine Reinknecht filed a police report for assault against a fellow party member.

A duel with swords, however—that is a first even for the AfD in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Büschges challenged Franosch at a party convention

Although both Büschges and Franosch emphasized, when asked by t-online, that the duel was a private matter, neither is willing to comment further on what triggered it. So-called “duels of honor”—duels intended to settle disputes over honor—have long been banned in German fraternities. However, there are indications that this involves more than just a purely athletic competition and that factional rivalry may also be playing a role.

According to information from t-online, Büschges challenged Franosch to a duel at the AfD NRW nomination convention in Marl for the 2027 state legislative elections. The nomination convention spanned two weekends in July and completely escalated: Representatives from both camps shouted at each other, hurled insults, and physically obstructed one another during the drawing up of the candidate list. AfD officials subsequently described the event as a “party convention of shame.”

Participants report that a lot of beer was consumed in this atmosphere. Büschges, who was reportedly intoxicated, is said to have clashed with Franosch and ultimately challenged him to a duel.

Franosch confirmed that a challenge to a duel took place during the AfD nomination meeting. “I cannot pass a definitive judgment on Mr. Büschges’s motivation for doing this,” he told t-online. However, as a “member of a fraternity and a student fencer,” he said it was far from his nature to resolve political conflicts through a duel. “After all, that’s what party conventions are for—and in my party, they’re far more exhausting than any fencing match.”

For him, the athletic competition is the main focus; it is a “private matter,” Franosch continued. However: “Party friends with whom I keep in touch wished me ‘Waffenschwein,’” said Franosch. The wish for “Waffenschwein” is comparable to saying “Good luck.”

Büschges kept his response brief: “That’s a private matter; it has nothing to do with the party.”

“Personal Duel” Following “More Intense Use of Fists”

What may seem archaic follows strict rules—the so-called “Comment”—and has its own distinct vocabulary. The two “duelists” facing off must meet certain requirements—for example, both must designate a ‘Kartellträger’ to handle communication, as well as a “Paukarzt” to provide medical care in case of injury.

AfD state leader Martin Vincentz is a doctor. Does he know about the Mensur—and might he be serving as the Paukarzt? He was not asked, has therefore not agreed to participate, and does not support the action, Vincentz told t-online in response to an inquiry. “Politics means peaceful solutions and an intellectual crossing of swords.”

However, another person close to Vincentz is closely involved with the duel. Kris Schnappertz—who now goes by the name Kris von Gierke—serves as Büschges’s second. Until mid-2025, he was the press secretary for the AfD state chapter and the parliamentary caucus, and until then, he was Vincentz’s right-hand man.

A large crowd of “spectators” is expected

In correspondence regarding the duel, which t-online has obtained, Franosch’s Kartellträger writes to Büschges: “Following your personal challenge issued in Marl on Sunday, July 12, against my fraternity brother Franosch, I hereby declare my role as Kartellträger and confirm your challenge.” The duel is to take place according to “stricter dueling customs” “at the Rhenania-Salingia clubhouse,” and Büschges is to declare in advance which arm he will use to fence.

Büschges’s duel representative, Kris von Gierke, replied on his behalf: Büschges would be “ready for the personal challenge” on October 17. The opposing side was to “provide a dueling hall of sufficient size.” A “large number of spectators” was to be expected.

The so-called “Knattern” is a regular feature of such events, during which members of the two fraternities engage in a verbal exchange ranging from humorous to hostile. This is also evident in the letters: For example, Kris von Gierke states that he is surprised his opponent is not properly observing the “Comment.” He would be happy to conduct a “Fuchsenstunde” “so that such embarrassments are avoided in the future.” A “Fuchs” is a new member of a fraternity who has not yet attained full membership.

In the end, they reach an agreement: The Mensur is to take place on Saturday afternoon, October 17. Both opponents will fence with their right arms.

Kris Schnappertz has confirmed to t-online that he is now Kris von Gierke. His parents have been divorced for nearly 30 years, and he had long wanted to take his mother’s surname. “Thanks to the new name law, that was now possible.” He does not wish to comment publicly on the dueling match, but emphasizes: “ The duel is a private matter and has nothing to do with internal party conflicts.”

Nevertheless, the confrontation is likely to be a highlight for both the AfD in North Rhine-Westphalia and the two fraternities involved, as indicated by the number of expected “spectators.” The injuries sustained in such a duel are considered badges of honor. Against the backdrop of the factional struggle, this is likely to be even more true.