Germany: Racism and fascism (3)
01 January 1991
Germany: Racism and fascism
artdoc April=1995
Issues in the General Election
Republikaners ousted following internal splits
The Republikaners only managed to average 2 per cent nationally
in the German general election which means they are no longer
represented in parliament, having failed to cross the 5 per cent
threshold. The Republikaners' election campaign was marked by
persistent internal in-fighting after its former leader, Franz
Schönhuber, attempted to take the Republikaners into alliance
with the German People's Union (DVU). For attempting to form a
`political pact to create a right-wing defensive force' he was
ousted as party leader, just two weeks before the general
election. Mr. Schönhuber says he will fight what he has described
as an `illegal coup' in the courts. The proposed alliance caused
the Republikaners' chapter in North-Rhine-Westphalia to demand
a `special session of the party's board to correct Schönhuber's
actions'.
Meanwhile, the German Interior Minister, Manfred Kanther, says
that the Republikaners are now `sliding further on the slippery
slope towards extremism'. Although he has no intention of banning
the Republikaners, they may be reclassified as an `extremist'
organisation (the DVU are already classified as an
`unconstitutional party'). (Independent 25, 27. 8.94, Jewish
Chronicle 2.9, 7.10.94 Taz 27.8.94).
Christian Democrats attack reformed Communists as `red-painted
fascists'
As the PDS made sweeping gains in eastern Germany and Berlin,
doubling its vote since the last general election four years ago
and gaining thirty seats in the Bonn parliament, Chancellor Kohl
described the reformed Communists as `red-painted fascists'. The
SPD also announced that they will refuse to cooperate with the
PDS.
The 81-year-old Jewish writer, Stefan Heym, who won the central
Prenzlauer Berg constituency for the PDS, says that anti-Semitism
is behind the campaign to discredit the PDS parliamentary leader,
Gregor Gysi, who is accused of cooperating with the former east
Germany's secret police, the STASI. As the oldest MP in the
Bundestag, Stefan Heym delivered the inauguration speech which
was met with a disapproving silence by the Christian Democrats.
Stefan Heym is also accused by the Christian Democrats of
collaborating with the Stasi. Heym fled nazi Germany and fought
for the US army during the second world war (Guardian 17,
29.10.94).
Racist attacks
Two more deaths
A Vietnamese man, aged 33, was stabbed to death in a park in the
east German city of Leipzig. The initial reaction of the police
was to say that there was no evidence to link the killing to neo-
nazi groups (Guardian 5.8.94). The police say that while they
are not ruling out a racial motive the killing of a Turkish man
could have been related to drug-dealing. The badly beaten and
smouldering body of a 20- year-old Turk had been found at a lake
near Cologne. A camper at the lakeside claims to have heard a
gang of men shouting `Burn the Turks' (Independent 2.8.94).
Arson attacks
Two Turkish centres have been burnt down in separate attacks. In
south Germany, a Turkish prayer room was destroyed by fire in
Singen, while a Turkish prayer room and cultural centre in
Singdelfingen, near Stuttgart, was destroyed in a suspected
firebombing (Evening Standard 11.8.94). Six asylum seekers
escaped unhurt when their hostel in Hamburg was set on fire. The
police said that there was no indication that neo-nazis were
involved (International Herald Tribune 24.8.94).
Police blame attack on squatters
Homeless beggars carried out a brutal attack on two Moroccans in
Halle according to the residents of Kellner Street, mainly
squatters. But the police say otherwise; they have arrested two
men who, according to them, come from the left-wing scene. The
squatters of Kellner Street say this is a grotesque attempt by
the police to discredit and stereotype them (Taz)
Racist a