The Alternative for Germany (AfD) recently filed several image trademarks with design elements closely resembling the German national coat of arms, according to a report by news portal T-Online.
Multiple applications were submitted last week to both the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA). The designs feature a stylized blue eagle accompanied by the AfD’s logo and various textual combinations including “Patriotic Youth” “Young Patriots” “Germany Youth” and “Party Youth”. The party had previously registered these word combinations as trademarks in December.
A law firm based in Cologne, which also represents the AfD in other trademark-related matters, is listed as the rights holder for the new image trademarks in both trademark registries. The German Patent and Trade Mark Office confirmed to T-Online that the AfD federal association is the applicant for the trademarks. The party leadership has reportedly declined to comment.
German trademark law prohibits the use of state emblems. According to a report by the Scientific Services of the German Bundestag from August 2024, this prohibition extends to trademarks that merely imitate such emblems. Each case is assessed on its individual merits.
A spokesperson for the German Patent and Trade Mark Office stated that the applications will be reviewed in detail, including an assessment of whether the eagle depictions constitute imitations of the German national coat of arms. This review process is expected to take some time.
The official launch of the AfD’s new youth organization is scheduled for November 29th and 30th in Gießen, Hesse, as confirmed by an AfD federal board spokesperson to T-Online.