Hitler lookalike summoned to appear in German court – media
Hitler doppelganger Stefan Wijkamp has been ordered to appear before a German court on charges of incitement of hatred, Bild has reported. The Dutch national, who has repeatedly traveled to Germany to take part in far-right rallies in recent years, is an avowed admirer of the late Nazi leader.
On Sunday, Bild quoted Matthias Bieling, deputy head of the Munster district court, as confirming that the first hearing in the case is scheduled for next Friday, July 24. According to the publication, the German authorities took issue with an interview that Wijkamp gave to a YouTuber during a far-right demonstration in Munster last summer. In it, he proclaimed that his “love for Germany is called Adolf Hitler,” whom the outspoken Dutchman described as a “world wonder without equal” and a “genius.”
In modern-day Germany, the public glorification of Nazi Germany and its leaders is not considered protected speech and is punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine.
Should Wijkamp fail to appear in court, an arrest warrant could be issued in his name, Bild reported, citing a lawyer specializing in criminal and immigration law.
According to the media outlet, the Hitler lookalike has frequented far-right gatherings in neighboring Germany since at least 2017. He even reportedly joined the now-defunct neo-Nazi ‘Die Rechte’ (The Right) party and served on its board for some time.
A perusal of the Dutch press indicates that Wijkamp has also had several run-ins with the law in his native Netherlands, with his offenses reportedly including performing a Nazi salute in public.
