Arrest warrant issued for AfD politician Maximilian Krah

Apparently legal costs not paid. Arrest warrant issued against AfD politician Maximilian Krah

Status: 13.08.2026 • 16:50

The Chemnitz District Court has issued an arrest warrant against AfD Member of the Bundestag Maximilian Krah. This concerns a legal dispute between Maximilian Krah and the presenter Jan Böhmermann.

The Chemnitz District Court has issued an arrest warrant against AfD Member of the Bundestag Maximilian Krah. According to information from the news agency dpa, it is currently being examined whether the lifting of Krah's immunity as a Member of the Bundestag, which is necessary for enforcement, should be requested. Der Spiegel was the first to report on this.

The arrest warrant stems from a legal dispute between Krah and satirist Jan Böhmermann regarding the latter's statements in a podcast: Krah wanted to prohibit Böhmermann from claiming that the politician had ordered 200 bottles of champagne for the entire marquee at the Munich Oktoberfest. The presenter had read out a letter containing this statement in his podcast. However, the Düsseldorf Regional Court dismissed his injunction.

Part of the legal costs apparently not paid

According to Der Spiegel, the background to the arrest warrant is now outstanding claims for legal costs. Initially, Böhmermann had to collect around 5,000 euros from Krah by means of enforcement proceedings; currently, a further 300 euros or so are outstanding. Because the Member of the Bundestag's constituency is in Chemnitz, the local district court is responsible. Krah did not appear for a court date last month.

According to his own statements, Krah already paid the legal costs in the legal dispute with Böhmermann in January. He has now asked his lawyer for clarification, he told the ARD capital studio. He considers Böhmermann a "creep" and therefore only pays after verification.

Böhmermann's lawyer Sebastian Gorski stated: "Germany is a constitutional state and it cannot be the case that a Member of the Bundestag and fully qualified lawyer evades his legal obligations."