A hacker claiming responsibility for a cyberattack on Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland, or AfD, says more than 421,000 internal emails and over 100,000 files were stolen from systems linked to the party, while an anonymous person later allegedly offered €100,000 (₹1.06 crore) to have the leak site taken offline.
AfD has confirmed that a cyber incident affected a hosting provider used by the party in September 2026, but it has not confirmed the scale of the alleged data theft. The authenticity of the leaked emails also remains unverified.
The hacker claims the stolen material was taken from more than 800 hosts associated with the party’s domain and distributed through a torrent file of nearly 300GB.
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AfD Confirms Cyber Incident but Not Scale of Leak
An AfD spokesperson said a hacking attack took place in September 2026 against a hosting provider used by the party.
The party said the attack was quickly stopped and affected users were informed. It did not provide details on how much data may have been taken.
The hacker, however, claims the material includes more than 421,000 emails and over 100,000 files, including the mailbox of former AfD co-leader Alexander Gauland, internal databases and other party documents.
The leak site reportedly displays email senders, recipients, timestamps and subject lines, with entries ranging from 2013 to September 12, 2026.
Researchers who examined the site said it also contained AI-generated summaries of emails grouped into categories such as racism and antisemitism, with severity ratings ranging from low to critical.
The reported contents of those emails have not been independently authenticated.
Leaked Material Includes Controversial Claims
The leaked material allegedly contains references to Nazism, antisemitism, racism and political violence involving party members and staff.
Among the reported examples is a 2018 email forwarded by Alexander Gauland concerning a so-called “Hitler pilgrimage” involving a former judge associated with the AfD’s Thuringia arbitration court.
Another alleged exchange involved a party member joking about turning refugees into handbags and boots.
The material also reportedly includes an incident in which a Christmas card bearing a swastika and the words “Heil Hitler” was sent by a board member, as well as emails containing aggressive political language and references associated with Nazi slogans.
A separate 2025 email from North Rhine-Westphalia reportedly carried the subject line “Sale of swastika flags and drugs at the info stand.”
These claims are based on material published through the leak site and remain unverified.
Hacker Claims €100,000 Offer to Remove Leak
The alleged attacker told International Cyber Digest that the operation began with a single unpatched AfD website and later expanded into wider access to shared infrastructure.
The hacker claimed the purpose of the breach was to expose what they described as financial misconduct and hypocrisy within the party.
According to the hacker, an anonymous person later made contact through Proton Mail and offered money in exchange for taking the leak site offline.
The message allegedly asked how contact could be established and said payment would be made if the site was removed.
The hacker claimed the amount offered was €100,000 but said the website would remain online.
The identity of the person who allegedly made the offer has not been established, and the payment claim has not been independently verified.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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