Issue no. 61, April 2010
5,419 subscribers from civil society, politics and the media

This is the new newsletter of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation with current news from the foundation, the CURA Victims' Support Fund and the websites www.mut-gegen-rechte-gewalt.de ("Stand Up Against Neo-Nazi Violence") and www.netz-gegen-nazis.de.

Dear Readers,

The Federal government’s new plans to fight extremist movement have been the subject of many events and discussions in the print media in the past weeks. Amongst other things, these new programs and discussions were triggered by the statistics on politically motivated crimes in 2009, according to which, the number of left-wing crimes increased by close to 40 percent. The primary question is whether it is legitimate to fight „other forms of extremism“ besides right-wing extremism. In this context, the new Federal government names left-wing extremism and Islamism, and it would like to include both groups in the Federal government’s programs. Surely you have heard of this debate, and I realize that it probably bores and infuriates you at one and the same time. I feel the same way, although perhaps not in the customary manner. Up until now most people used the term right-wing extremism to describe the type of opposition to democracy.

Now that left-wing extremism has become part of the debate and Federal programs, everyone seems at a loss for words. The term right-wing extremism contains the word „extremism“ and that word – as we learn from our friends in western Germany – is reminiscent of the horrible time when there were „extremist decrees“ and prohibitions to pursue one’s profession, and these laws related primarily to persons belonging to the left-wing close to the German Communist Party or other Stalinist organizations with an affinity to the German Democratic Republic. Well, in the meantime history has disarranged some previous certainties: from the point of view of former members of the opposition in the GDR, the highly defended Stalinists were definitely not innocent victims of the “reactionary” Federal Republic. Moreover, East Germans also are speaking up in the debate about terms and adding their experiences. Although this complicates the issue of left-wing extremism, it doesn’t change a thing as far as right-wing extremism is concerned.

When I think of left-wing extremism, I never think of the old, conservative SED party. I still don’t know what was left about it. Today left-wing extremism brings to my mind the groups that want to “abolish” the system, are willing to use violence to do so – albeit less frequently than the Nazis – and do not subscribe to the belief that all people are equal. Frequently, hard-as-bone anti-Semites call themselves anti-Imperialists, and their structures and friend-enemy images have counterparts in the far-right scene – either in a party or autonomous groups. They are compatible on many fronts. I am definitely opposed to this kind of left-wing extremism, and I don’t consider it in any way more pleasant than the Nazis just because it claims to be against Nazis, too. In my opinion, the problem is not giving priority to or actually defending left-wing extremism, but to protect the realities against political abuse.

For many years, we saw young, active democrats fight against neo-Nazis and the belittlement of the problem in areas dominated by the far-right only to be marked as left-wing extremists. That was miserable, because their objective was defending democracy, not abolishing it. It is simply bizarre if those people who denied militant right-wing extremism now, always with respect to the new slogan of fighting against extremism, side with the NPD against the Left Party or, after protests, exclude both of them from an alliance “against extremism”. If a mayor hums and haws about the issue and then says that the NPD are the Jews of today, then that is ludicrous. And both are idiotic and stupid political abuse of a real problem

One can, just like me, be skeptical about the Left Party, with its theories and views, its past and the way it is glossed over, its diffuse attitude towards anti-Semitism, but it is ridiculous to call it an anti-democratic left-wing extremist party. That is cheap rhetoric between competing political parties. One may or may not agree with its political goals, but it definitely is not hostile to the constitution. The same holds true with respect to young people who tend towards the alternative scene and actively oppose Nazis. Slandering them only because they are more unconventional than others is unfair competition and, to put it diplomatically, bears witness to cold disinterest in the victims of Nazi brutality, who were attacked and killed because they weren’t considered worthy to live.

The opposite of Fascism is not anti-Fascism but a democratic culture that protects equality and freedom ex aequo. That is the standard by which everyone involved should be judged. That would be an appropriate way to deal with all attempts at political abuse.

Sincerely,
Anetta Kahane

Against the background of the latest statistics on politically motivated crimes in 2009, Federal Minister of the Interior, Thomas de Maizière declared: „One person was killed as a result of politically motivated violence in Germany”. According to the report, 19,468 right-wing crimes were recorded last year. Although that is 4.7 percent less than in 2008, it is still a high number. Most far-right crimes are bodily injuries. Altogether 366 violent crimes with racist motivation were recorded. „That is one attack every day of the year. One single attack in the statistics means years of trauma for the victim of far-right violence. In 2009, the death of Marwa El-Sherbini added one more victim to the list of fatalities of right-wing violence: since the reunification of Germany there have been altogether 149 victims,“ says Anetta Kahane, Chairperson of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation. „Ten years after the »Aufstand der Anständigen« (i.e. protest of the decent people), the Federal government still does not have a conclusive concept for fighting right-wing extremism. The debate on extremism initiated by the Black-Yellow Coalition government is not helpful either. We have to face the actual situation prevalent in the towns,“ adds Kahane.

For more information about the victims, please go to: http://www.mut-gegen-rechte-gewalt.de/news/chronik-der-gewalt/149-todesopfer/

The „pro NRW“ campaign wants to expand the „pro Köln“ model to all of North-Rhine Westphalia. „pro Köln“ was founded in 1996 by former members of the far-right „German League for People and Homeland“ and the nationalist Republican Party, and they still define the contents, strategy and public appearance of the “pro” movement. The Administrative Court in Dusseldorf has ruled that the statements made by „pro NRW“ regarding the human rights ensured by the constitution give rise to the assumption that they follow a far-right persuasion. The state election campaign in North-Rhine Westphalia is gathering force for the „pro NRW“ and NPD parties. Within the scope of an action weekend, „pro NRW“ organized several racist events in March.

For more information, go to: http://www.mut-gegen-rechte-gewalt.de/news/meldungen/rassistisches-stelldichein-in-duisburg/

Dear donors, we always appreciate your support. Without it, our foundation would not be able to continue its work of promoting and assisting systematically and specifically wherever democratic culture can be strengthened and wherever it may be possible to protect potential victims of neo-Nazi violence. We hope that we can count on your help in the future as well.

For information on donations, please go to: www.amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de/spenden-und-stiften

„For the first time in Germany, a colonial street name will be changed in honor of a person who was quite critical of colonialism and racism,“ explains Armin Massing from „Berliner Entwicklungspolitischen Ratschlag“. The Gröbenufer in Berlin-Kreuzberg will be called May-Ayim-Ufer from now on. The writer May Ayim, one of the founding members of the „Initiative of Black People in Germany“, was born in Hamburg and committed suicide in Berlin-Kreuzberg in 1996. „Until recently there was hardly any awareness of the role of the former capital in Berlin,“ says Massing. Otto Friedrich von der Gröben, after whom the street used to be called, was commander of a colonial expedition of Brandenburg and Prussia and built the Groß-Friedrichsburg colony in what is Ghana today. The garrison was set up to defend German colonies and a slave trading post. The Amadeu Antonio Foundation is supporting the memorial plaque for May Ayim, which will hopefully give rise to more discussions about colonialism and racism.

More information available under:
www.amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de/aktuelles/perspektivwechsel-may-ayim-ufer/

In Mittenwald, a small town in Upper Bavaria, a memorial service for mountain infantrymen killed in both world wars has been held every year since 1952. This annual Whitsun gathering is organized by the „Kameradenkreis der Gebirgstruppe,“ a group of Wehrmacht and SS veterans. For many years, the service was pure hero worship, irrespective of the long list of crimes committed by the mountain infantry during World War II. In 2002, a memorial service for the victims was finally initiated. The annual reunions of the mountain infantry are no longer accepted uncritically. Nonetheless, the town of Mittenwald denied acknowledging the victims by refusing to welcome holocaust survivors. The sad highlight last year was that a memorial for the victims of the mountain infantrymen was cleared away. On the occasion of the inauguration of the new memorial on 21 March 2010, the Amadeu Antonio Foundation organized a discussion with two holocaust survivors, Maurice Cling and Ernst Grube, and a resistance fighter, Max Tzwangue, as well as the eighth and ninth grade classes of the Mittenwald school.

The story of the memorial:
www.amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de/aktuelles/wiedereinweihung-eines-geraeumten-denkmals/

„We are concerned with three topics: anti-Semitism, Muslims and immigration society. All three issues are quite controversial,“ said Anetta Kahane, chairperson of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, at the conference entitled „Anti-Semitism in Muslim-Dominated Environments“. The Ministry of the Interior of Lower Saxony had organized the conference, which was held the beginning of March. Among other experts, Anetta Kahane, Eberhard Seidel, Managing Director of „Schule ohne Rassismus“, Michel Friedman, former Vice-President of the Central Council of Jews and Claudia Dantschke, Arabist from „Zentrum Demokratische Kultur“ participated in the discussion. Their contributions were used as the basis for workshops held in the afternoon, in which educational concepts were analyzed and discussed. Besides the experts, young Muslims also participated and described their experiences. The conference also was organized to discuss different projects which, for example, were compiled in the brochure „Die Juden sind schuld…“ published by the Amadeu Antonio Foundation.

For the conference report, please go to:
www.amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de/aktuelles/antisemitismus-in-muslimisch-gepraegten-milieus/

The project is continuing! Workshops of the project „Generation 50plus aktiv im Netz gegen Nazis“, which was founded by „Netz gegen Nazis“, will take place again in Hamburg und Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in April and May: Discussing for democracy in the Internet. Be part of the discussion group and respond to the following questions: How can I become active against right-wing extremism in the Internet? How can I recognize and confront neo-Nazi arguments? How can I use the experience gained throughout my life to promote democracy and reach young people? The workshop has the following structure: Part I: Neonazis today; Part II: The Internet and its forums, chats and social networks; Part III: Presentation training. The dates of the next workshops are stated under „Important Dates“. The workshops are being supported, amongst others, by Generali Zukunftsfonds and the Freudenberg Foundation. Please register under ngn@amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de or 030 - 240 886 24.

More information is available at: http://www.netz-gegen-nazis.de/artikel/generation-50plus-aktiv-im-netz-gegen-nazis-workshop-termine-nordrhein-westfalen-hamburg-essen-2979

„If you don’t move, you won’t feel the shackles,“ Rosa Luxemburg is quoted as saying in the exhibition „Legality for the Opposition!“ in the Berlin „Kulturzentrum Sebastian Haffner“, which was opened by the initiative „Bürgerstiftung Prenzlauer Berg“ on 11 March together with Wolfgang Thierse and Ulrike Poppe. Only those people who protested can actually describe the pain inflicted by the shackles. It took a lot of courage to choose this path in the GDR. The exhibition wants to call to mind and honor the incredible efforts undertaken by these people to bring forth a democratic awakening. The „Bürgerstiftung Prenzlauer Berg“ in cooperation with the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, the „Amt für Kultur und Bildung – Museumsverbund Pankow“ and the „Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft“ organized the exhibition. For the community foundation, which developed the exhibition together with Romy Köhler, this is the first large project with which it wants to call attention to the community foundation and its work. The exhibition will be open until 9 May 2010.

Pictures of the exhibition:
www.amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de/aktuelles/erinnerungen-an-den-aufbruch/

Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel personally presented the prizes to the winners of the Community Foundation Prize 2010 of „Aktive Bürgerschaft“. First prize went to the community foundation „Bürgerstiftung Bad Essen“ in Lower Saxony. The panel of judges was impressed by its support of families with an immigrant background in rural areas. The community foundation „BürgerStiftung Hamburg“ was awarded second place for its fund „Hamburger Anker“, which supports young families. In her laudation for these two foundations, Angela Merkel praised the involvement of community foundations and underscored the importance of giving them support: „I believe the great thing about community foundations is their freedom of action. Frequently, the purpose of the foundation is given a wide definition. Hence, the involvement shown by the community foundations is as different as individual people are; they have their own characteristics and can make their own particular contributions. One can help by donating money or working materials, by contributing experiences or by volunteering.“

On 7 January 2005 Oury Jalloh, asylum-seeker from Sierra Leone, a country torn by civil war, burned to death under mysterious circumstances in a police holding cell in Dessau. A few weeks ago, the Federal Court revoked a first judgement passed in this case and ordered that the proceedings be reinstated. The role of the policemen on duty is still not clear. The Berlin „Entwicklungspolitisches Bildungs- und Informationszentrum“ has put together new teaching material to be used together with the film „Oury Jalloh“ promoted by the Amadeu Antonio Foundation in 2008. The DVD and brochure are designed for teachers as well as other educational institutions which would like to discuss the topics of flight, asylum and racism on the basis of a true story. In his film, director Simon Paetau shows the precarious situation of life of asylum seekers in Germany as well as the many different kinds of discrimination encountered in everyday life. The brochure combines background information with concrete didactical examples for instruction in political education, ethics and social science as of the 10th grade.

For more information on the film, go to:
www.amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de/projektfoerderung/gefoerderte-projekte/musik-theater-film/oury-jalloh/

Such popular topics as environmental protection and protection of animals frequently appeal to young people in particular. Yet, this interest can cause them to fall into the net of the far-right scene through their involvement. Many people find it difficult to recognize that the Nazis use environmental protection and animal protection for their blood-and-soil ideology. „The sympathy felt for animals and the environment is frequently used by the Nazis to lead over to anti-democratic and race-biological positions. Hence, for example, fondness for animals is displayed by far-right extremists especially when it can be used to turn against their own images of the enemy,“ explains „Netz-gegen-Nazis“ author Eric Stritter with regard to his research on right-wing extremists and environmental/animal protection movements. The fact that the alternative scene also is very touchy about such attempts is demonstrated by the example of „Neuland“, an association for natural and environment-friendly keeping of domestic cattle. In response to a corresponding article by netz-gegen-nazis.de, Jochen Dettmer, managing director of the association, declared that „Neuland“ would cancel its cooperation with farms pursuing such political ideology.

More information on the study:
www.netz-gegen-nazis.de/artikel/tierschutz-als-deckmantel-fuer-naziideologien-5710www.netz-gegen-nazis.de/artikel/tierschutz-als-deckmantel-fuer-naziideologien-5710

Copyright (c) 2010
Cooy deadline: 29 March 2010

Amadeu Antonio Stiftung
Patron: Vice-President of the German Bundestag Wolfgang Thierse

info@amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de
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Tel.: 030. 240 886 10
Fax: 030. 240 886 22

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Should you have any questions on the distribution of donations, please feel free to contact us at any time.

Editorial team: Tilman Tzschoppe and Thomas Olsen. Contributions: Konstanze Ameer, Berit Lusebrink, Anetta Kahane, Andrés Nader, Heike Radvan, Simone Rafael, Timo Reinfrank (responsible) and Sarah Schulz. Many thanks to Virginia Schildhauer for translating the newsletter.

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