Sven von Storch (born 23 December 1970) is a Chilean-

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

businessman A businessperson, also referred to as a businessman or businesswoman, is an individual who has founded, owns, or holds shares in (including as an angel investor) a private-sector company. A businessperson undertakes activities (commercial ...

, digital

activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from mandate build ...

, and prominent figure in the

Alternative für Deutschland Alternative for Germany (, AfD, ) is a Far-right politics in Germany (1945–present), far-right,Far-right: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Right-wing populism, right-wing populist and National conservatism, national-conservative p ...

(AfD). He is known for his collaborations with conservative leaders such as

Jair Bolsonaro Jair Messias Bolsonaro (; born 21 March 1955) is a Brazilian politician and former military officer who served as the 38th president of Brazil from 2019 to 2023. He previously served as a member of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies (Brazil), Chamb ...

and

José Antonio Kast José Antonio Kast Rist (born 18 January 1966), also known by his initials JAK, is a Chilean lawyer and politician. He is running for president in the 2025 Chilean general election, for the third time. Part of the prominent Kast family, he se ...

, as well as his admiration for

Steve Bannon Stephen Kevin Bannon (born November 27, 1953) is an American media executive, political strategist, and former investment banker. He served as the White House's chief strategist for the first seven months of president Donald Trump's first ...

. Alongside his wife,

Beatrix von Storch Beatrix von Storch (; 27 May 1971) is a German politician and lawyer, who has been the Deputy Parliamentary Leader of the Alternative for Germany since July 2015 and a Member of the Bundestag since September 2017. She previously was a Member of ...

, he has been instrumental in promoting far-right ideologies through digital campaigns. Although he does not hold an elected office, he is a significant figure within the AfD and far-right political circles in Europe and Latin America.

Early life and education

Sven von Storch was born on 23 December 1970 in

Osorno, Chile Osorno (Mapuche language, Mapuche: Chauracavi) is a List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune in southern Chile and capital of Osorno Province in the Los Lagos Region. It had a population of 145,475, as of the 2002 census. It i ...

, to a family of aristocratic

German descent Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The constitution of Germany, implemented in 1949 following the end of World War ...

. His father moved to Chile after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

following the expropriation of the family estate in Parchow,

Mecklenburg Mecklenburg (; ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schwerin, Neubrandenburg, Wismar and Güstrow. ...

, by the Soviet occupation forces. In Chile, his father rebuilt his life as an agricultural entrepreneur and married a woman of German descent. Sven grew up in Chile as one of four sons. His older brother,

Klaus Klaus is a German, Dutch and Scandinavian given name and surname. It originated as a short form of Nikolaus, a German form of the Greek given name Nicholas. Notable persons whose family name is Klaus * Billy Klaus (1928–2006), American base ...

, is a renowned

aerospace engineer Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...

. After completing his secondary education, Sven moved to Germany in 1988 to pursue a BA in

business administration Business administration is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. Overview The administration of a business includes the performance o ...

. Following the

reunification A political union is a type of political entity which is composed of, or created from, smaller politics or the process which achieves this. These smaller polities are usually called federated states and federal territories in a federal govern ...

of Germany, his brother Thomas successfully reclaimed their grandparents' estate. Thomas died in an airplane accident in 2004.

Political activism and career

Sven von Storch is a prominent figure in the

(AfD), a far-right political party in Germany. Alongside his wife,

, he has been involved in digital campaigns promoting conservative and far-right ideologies. According to scholar Alexander Häusler, the couple is responsible for a network of media campaigns that advocate for

euroscepticism Euroscepticism, also spelled as Euroskepticism or EU-scepticism, is a political position involving criticism of the European Union (EU) and European integration. It ranges from those who oppose some EU institutions and policies and seek reform ...

anti-globalism Globalism has multiple meanings. In political science, it is used to describe "attempts to understand all of the interconnections of the modern world—and to highlight patterns that underlie (and explain) them". While primarily associated wit ...

anti-communism Anti-communism is Political movement, political and Ideology, ideological opposition to communism, communist beliefs, groups, and individuals. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia, and it reached global ...

, criticism of gender studies and sexual education,

opposition to same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 billion people (20% o ...

, and

opposition to immigration Opposition to immigration, also known as anti-immigration, is a political position that seeks to restrict immigration. In the modern sense, immigration refers to the entry of people from one state or territory into another state or territory in ...

. Sven has also collaborated with international conservative leaders, including

of Brazil and

of Chile. He is an admirer of

, the former strategist for

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

. His involvement in far-right politics has made him a controversial figure in both Europe and Latin America.

Views and controversies

Sven von Storch's political views align with far-right ideologies, including opposition to immigration, euroscepticism, and anti-globalism. He has been criticized for his close ties to far-right leaders and his role in promoting divisive political campaigns. Despite not holding an elected office, he remains a significant influencer within the AfD and far-right circles.

Personal life

Sven von Storch married

, a German politician and AfD member, in 2004. The couple is known for their shared political activism and far-right advocacy. Sven's brother,

, is a prominent aerospace engineer, and his uncle, Rodolfo Navea, is a well-known figure in Chilean politics.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:von Storch, Sven 1970 births Living people Chilean people of German descent German people of Chilean descent Chilean anti-communists Alternative for Germany politicians Far-right politics in Chile Far-right politics in Germany German untitled nobility