The Leipzig District Court fined Melanie Muller, a former reality TV personality turned pop singer, €80,000 ($89,000) for illegal behavior at a September 2022 concert in the city, as well as for the possession of drugs.
Video recordings of the event show Muller repeatedly raising her right arm in a gesture reminiscent of the so-called Hitler salute during a Leipzig concert for a crowd with right-wing ties.
Despite defense claims that Muller has no right-wing sympathies or views, Judge Lucas Findeisen found her guilty of "using the symbols of unconstitutional or terrorist organizations" when delivering his verdict.
Muller was also sentenced for possession of cocaine and ecstasy. The fine dramatically exceeded the €5,700 penalty requested by prosecutors.
The defense, which asked for an acquittal, said Muller was simply pumping her fist and chanting in order to stoke crowd enthusiasm.
Judge claims singer knew what she was doing
Still, Judge Findeisen said video seen by the court clearly showed that Muller had embraced the mood of the crowd and played along by changing her hand gesture and engaging in a call and response game that echoed Nazi chants of "Sieg," "Heil," with Muller chanting "Zicke," and the crowd responding with "Heil" (hail).
The singer also said that drugs found in a search of her apartment belonged to a friend, a claim the court rejected.
Muller's lawyer claimed negative media bias had harmed her career and had hoped an acquittal would help his "client regain her [financial] footing in Germany."
Melanie Muller, who gained notoriety in Germany by winning reality TV shows like "Jungle Camp" and "Big Brother," used to perform regularly in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Mallorca — a Spanish island popular with hard-drinking German tourists.
Asked by the judge about her current tour bookings, Muller replied: "Now I only have gigs in Mallorca. Everything else is gone."
