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Germar Rudolf, Resistance Is Obligatory (2012; PDF-Datei

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GERMAR RUDOLF, RESISTANCE IS OBLIGATORY<br />

on that critical date how columns of cussing neo-Nazis ganged up in<br />

front of the Holocaust memorial in Berlin and marched through the<br />

Brandenburg Gate, it seemed clear that something had to happen to halt<br />

such activities. But what? A change of the right of assembly promised<br />

relief, although it was to be shored up with penal measures – by a renewed<br />

tightening of article 130 Penal Code. Although hate sermons,<br />

Holocaust denial as well as any use of Nazi symbols or slogans 9 had<br />

long since been prohibited, by now it was known that the “Neos” were<br />

not only stupid and dull, but also clever and cunning and knew how to<br />

glibly slip through legal gaps; hence those had to be plugged. On 11<br />

Feb. 2005, the German Secretary of Justice introduced a bill and announced<br />

that the state had so far been reluctant to restrict freedom of<br />

speech and assembly due to their high priority, but it now had to close<br />

gaps – also as a signal to young people – among other things by a new<br />

paragraph to article 130 Penal Code, according to which punishment<br />

will be meted out against him “who publicly or during a gathering disturbs<br />

public peace in a way injurious to the dignity of the victims by<br />

approving, glorifying or justifying the National Socialist violent and<br />

despotic rule.” 10 Glorification is also given if unjust conditions of the<br />

National Socialist rule appear in a context of positive evaluation or<br />

when emphasis would be put on positive values, and prosecutable approval<br />

can also occur under reservation or by implication. Did that<br />

jeopardize the core of several civil rights? Hasty debates about that ensued<br />

within the government coalition, but already a month later the bill<br />

passed – in a slightly amended form – the final parliamentary debate. 12<br />

IV. Alien Element in a Liberal State under the Rule of Law?<br />

1. § 130 III German Penal Code<br />

One can already find grave doubts in the literature about the question<br />

whether any legally justifiable good in need of protection can be<br />

found in paragraph 3 of article 130 Penal Code (which had remained<br />

unchanged this time).<br />

<strong>Is</strong> it the honor of the victims, public peace, the basic consensus of all<br />

democrats, a decent political climate, concerns of foreign policy, or historical<br />

truth? Penal law is certainly inept to take care of the latter – but<br />

all the other hypotheses can be challenged as well with compelling reasons.<br />

13 And what does approving mean, foremost also denying 14 and<br />

downplaying – objectively and subjectively? Does this law aim only at<br />

307

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