A German district court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for far-right Alternative for Germany lawmaker Maximilian Krah over unpaid legal fees stemming from a dispute with comedian Jan Böhmermann, according to various German media outlets.
In 2024, Böhmermann read out a listener’s letter on his podcast alleging that Krah, a former member of the European Parliament, had ordered 200 bottles of Champagne for an entire tent at Munich’s Oktoberfest. Krah denied the claims and called the story “complete nonsense.” Böhmermann later said that his research indicated the number of bottles was likely only 50.
Krah, who had already been dubbed “Schampus-Max” (Champagne Max) in some German media outlets, filed an injunction against Böhmermann over the claims for violation of his “personality rights,” according to Germany’s Der Spiegel, but the case was dismissed in December 2024. Krah was then ordered to cover litigation costs — which he is alleged to have failed to pay in full.