Image Credit: NurPhoto / Contributor / Getty 
Four Alternative for Germany (AfD) candidates died “suddenly and unexpectedly” in Germany’s largest state, North Rhine-Westphalia, right before state elections. Anger and theories are running rife on social media about the sudden deaths of the AfD candidates.
“According to WDR, four AfD candidates who were not excluded have died immediately before the NRW municipal election: Blomberg, Rheinberg, Schwerte, Bad Lippspringe. Statistically almost impossible,” wrote Stefan Homburg in a post that received 1 million views.
Laut @WDR sind vier @AfD-Kandidaten, die nicht ausgeschlossen wurden, unmittelbar vor der NRW-Kommunalwahl verstorben: Blomberg, Rheinberg, Schwerte, Bad Lippspringe. Statistisch fast unmöglich. https://t.co/zpGdUGAbo9
— Stefan Homburg (@SHomburg) August 29, 2025
In another post from Peter Borbe, he writes: “4 AfD candidates died within 2 weeks during the NRW local elections: Wolfgang Seitz (Rheinberg), Ralph Lange (Blomberg), Stefan Berendes (Bad Lippspringe), Wolfgang Klinger (Schwerte), all 4 died suddenly and unexpectedly. An astonishing accumulation of deaths, isn’t it?”
4 tote AfD-Kandidaten innerhalb von 2 Wochen bei den NRW-Kommunalwahlen: Wolfgang Seitz (Rheinberg), Ralph Lange (Blomberg), Stefan Berendes (Bad Lippspringe), Wolfgang Klinger /Schwerte), alle 4 starben plötzlich und unerwartet.
— Peter Borbe (@PeterBorbe) August 30, 2025
Eine erstaunliche Häufung von Todesfällen, oder? pic.twitter.com/RoqbLf8tJ3
Despite concerns expressed on social media, not much is known about the circumstances of the deaths of the four candidates other than they died “unexpectedly,” which means none of them died from a long battle with cancer, for example.
As of yet, nobody has provided any evidence that the AfD candidates died from anything other than natural causes. In addition, there does not appear to have been any police investigations launched into the deaths of any four of the individuals.
However, in Germany’s polarized political environment, there is no surprise that AfD supporters are worried about the safety of their candidates.
The AfD party is, after all, the most attacked party in the country, including assaults and other forms of violence, according to official government statistics.
Local elections are set for Sept. 14, but the Welt newspaper reports that the latest death was from Ralph Lange, the AfD’s direct candidate for the Blomberg council, who “died unexpectedly,” according to WDR and the Lippische Landeszeitung, among other media outlets. A number of reports claim he was either 66 or 67 years old.
Other candidates were Wolfgang Seitz from Rheinberg, reportedly 59 years old, along with Wolfgang Klinger of Schwerte, reportedly 71 or 72 years old. Finally, Stefan Berendes of Bad Lippsringe passed away, at 59 years old.
🇩🇪🚨 AfD supporters in Germany should be attacked and people should "vomit in their faces."
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) November 28, 2024
"Break down their doors and gates, slap them in the face. Vomit in their faces. I don’t give a sh*t," said public figure Peter Fischer to RTL.
Despite calling for violence against a… pic.twitter.com/ersYM5AcSO
Authorities are under pressure to print new ballots, and with elections quickly approaching, there are serious time constraints. In some of the affected districts, new ballots have already been sent out.
Some voters had already sent in mail-in ballots. These ballots will no longer be valid and they must vote again.
Welt writes, citing WDR, that “an AfD candidate (Wolfgang Klinger) in Schwerte (North Rhine-Westphalia, Arnsberg administrative district) and the 59-year-old AfD candidate Wolfgang Seitz in Rheinberg (North Rhine-Westphalia, Wesel district) also died ‘suddenly and unexpectedly’ almost two weeks ago.”
