EUROPEAN RACE BULLETIN - Institute of Race Relations

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tion held in recent years was held in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s largest city, Rostock. Around 5,000 neo-nazis,accompanied by 6,000 police officers, marched under the bannerof the NPD through the area of Dierkow, which surroundsa housing estate. The NPD leader in Rostock, Torsten Kowalski,reminded his followers of neo-nazi riots six years ago when skinheadstorched the homes of Vietnamese immigrants and foughtrunning battles with police. He accused politicians of runningan anti-German policy and of allowing Germans to ‘become aminority in their own country’. Skinheads account for two outof three of the NPD’s party members.Profile of RostockWith a population of 220,000 Rostock is the biggest city in theeastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which has one ofthe worst employment rates in Germany. In fact, unemploymentin Rostock runs at 27 per cent, almost triple that of westernGermany. The Social Survey ‘98 for eastern Germany foundthat two thirds of its people did not identify themselves as citizensof unified Germany, although only 17 per cent want arestoration of the old Communist state. A survey in July by theAllensbach Institute found that 37 per cent of east Germansbelieve that east and west remain fundamentally different andseparate states.Although the immigrant community of Rostock is thesmallest in Germany, in 1997 the state has the country’s worstrecord of violence against foreigners – thirty times as high asthat of neighbouring Lower Saxony. According to the anti-fascistmagazine Searchlight, the NPD, unlike the DVU, actuallyhas a base at the grassroots. A spokesperson for theMecklenburg-Vorpommern Home Office admits that theNPD’s membership in the region has increased recently fromfifty to 300.Police operation criticisedPrior to the NPD’s demonstration, interior minister ArminJäger was accused of failing to take necessary precautions againstthe NPD. The PDS criticised Jäger for failing to ban the rally,adding that he seemed to view it as a ‘normal event’, legally protectedby laws on the right to demonstrate and that in order toprotect the neo-nazis he had organised a massive police presencerarely seen before in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.Following the demonstration, Jäger held a press conferencealongside the head of police operation, Knut Abramowski, todeclare the police operation, during which 78 demonstratorswere arrested (only five will be prosecuted) an unqualified success.But questions are being asked about the police failure todetain a neo-nazi who ran over a left-wing demonstrator whosustained life-threatening head injuries. And why had the policefailed to respond to several other incidents reported during theday, including a neo-nazi attack on an information tent outsidethe city during which four children and other visitors wereassaulted?Anti-fascist demonstrator in critical conditionA couple from Rostock, who witnessed an extreme rightwingerrunning his car over the left-wing demonstrator and then drivingaway say that they had to force a police officer who arrivedon the scene to take their names and addresses. When the policewere questioned about the incident by journalists at the pressconference, they described it as a car accident not connected tothe demonstration. Abramowski, who was adamant that the driverwas not connected to the right-wing scene, later had toadmit to a journalist that the driver was a neo-nazi; he claimedthat he did not admit this earlier for procedural reasons. It also18IRR EUROPEAN RACE BULLETIN • NO 29 • MARCH 1999‘Without state funding, right-wing partieswould have packed up long ago’appears that the neo nazi gave himself up to the police but wasreleased without charge after questioning.Office for State Security drafted inAt the end of September, the Office for State Security whichtook over the police investigation in late September denied thatthe anti-fascist information tent was attacked. It further claimedthat the driver who run over the anti-fascist demonstrator wastrying to avoid left-wingers throwing stones at the vehicle.(Junge Welt 21.8, 10, 11.9.98, Guardian 21, 23.9.98, Observer20.9.98)Focus on state support for far-Right politicalpartiesThe presence of three far-Right parties in the September federalelections has raised questions about state funding of racistparties. ‘Without state funding, right-wing parties would havepacked up long ago’, claims Antifaschistisches Info-Blatt, whichalso points to other forms of state support, such as the distributionof far-Right literature buthe postal service.Federal elections: the far-Right’s accountAccording to the Office Responsible for Defending theConstitution (ORDC) the extreme-Right parties spent a smallfortune contesting the federal elections. The ORDC estimatesthat the REP put DM4.55m into campaigning while the DVUspent around DM3m, DM2m of which went towards campaigningin Mecklenburg Vorpommern where regional and federalelections coincided. Preconditions for obtaining statefunding can easily be fulfilled. Parties have to achieve at least 0.5per cent of the vote at Federal or European elections or 1 percent at regional elections. For the first one million votes, thestate pays DM1.30 per vote, then 1DM for any further votes.Donations and contributions up to DM6000 per person arefurther subsidised with 0.50 DM per 1 DM donation.How the far-Right benefitAntifaschistisches Info-BlattThe REP, in particular, have benefited from this arrangement.In 1996, they received over DM7 million out of the Federalbudget, amounting to almost 50 per cent of their total budget.Their financing by the state is therefore proportionally a lothigher than that of the federally represented parties which onlyget 30 per cent of their income from the state. In terms of theother far-Right parties, the DVU obtained 20 per cent of totalfinancing from the state (DM600.000), although it will beforced to repay DM549,000 having been found guilty of submittingfalse accounts for one rich doner, Jaques de Mathan (seebulletin no. 28). A unique situation developed in the past whenthe NPD were overpaid by the state on the basis of predictionsby pollsters who overestimated their electoral success. Thus, theNPD, were, in effect pre-financed by the state; only now havethey managed to repay the debt. Although the NPD did notsucceed in crossing the 0.5 per cent threshold necessary toreceive state funding at a federal level, they were able to siphonoff public funding with the necessary 1.0 per cent at theMecklenburg-Vorpommern regional elections.
Other state supportDistricts and Länder as well as the federal state also, in effect,assist the far-Right through the distribution of literature andthrough disclosure of voter data. Most districts give right-wingparties the data they need to target specific voters for electioneering.The DVU, in particular, has benefited from such disclosures.Direct-mail advertising can also be sent via the GermanPost AG. Often, the postmen, who are usually civil servants,would rather throw the letters in the dustbin than in the letterboxesbut they are legally obliged to accept such accounts. Thismoral conflict does not only pose itself for employees of the postoffice or broadcasting corporations, but printers and typesettersalso find themselves caught in the far-Right’s web. Recently, parliamentrejected a motion proposed by the Green Party and supportedonly by the PDS which demanded the right of workersto refuse to distribute or print far-Right literature on moralgrounds. (Antifaschistisches Info Blatt no. 45, Oct/Nov ‘98)Legal victory for Republikaner against extreme-Right classificationThe Berlin Administrative Court has ruled that the OfficeResponsible for Defending the Constitution (ORDC) waswrong to classify the REP as an extreme-Right organisation andsubject its members to surveillance. Following an action takenby the REP, the ORDC has been told that supervision by theintelligence services of the party must stop. The Berlin RegionalOffice of the ORDC first identified the REP as an extreme-Right organisation in a 1997 report which revealed connectionsbetween the REP and the neo-nazi organisation, KameradschaftBeusselkietz.Judge rules that REP’S views on ‘foreigners’ are notunconstitutionalIn court, lawyers for the ORDC cited the REP attitude towardsthe ‘foreigners problem’ as reason for its classification as anextreme-Right party. But the judge ruled that its propagandaagainst foreigners was not unconstitutional, presumably becausemany issues raised by the REP in its 1993 election campaign(foreign criminality, foreigners taking away German jobs) weredeemed legitimate political positions held by vast parts of theCDU and SPD.REP demands equal rightsThe REP argued that the ORDC had violated basic constitutionalrights by denying equal opportunities to all parties, citingits acceptance of the PDS. The REP also argued that it had beena victim of intrigue between the political parties and that theORDC’s report had damaged its standing before the electorate.(Junge Welt 1.9.98)Neo nazi internet sites increase massivelyAccording to the ORDC, neo-nazi sites on the internet haveincreased fivefold in two years. The 156 neo-nazi home pagesare mainly distributed by American servers, making it virtuallyimpossible for the German authorities to take legal action.(Junge Welt 13.10.98)Anti-fascists organise against Bavarian far -RightThe Passau Action for Civic Courage (PAZ) says that attemptsto organise against the far Right in Bavaria are being hinderedby the police, public prosecutors, the courts, and even the localauthority. On a visit to America, Passau’s Social Democratic19IRR EUROPEAN RACE BULLETIN • NO 29 • MARCH 1999mayor complained that anti-fascists are giving his town a badname. Local historian, Mrs. Rosmus, was singled out by themayor for her research into the city’s Nazi past which was usedas the basis for cinematic treatment in the film, ‘The NastyGirl’. Amongincidents cited:★ PAZ was fined for organising a peaceful blockade against aNPD rally in Niebelunghalle on 7 February.★ Police confiscated a petition and leaflets advertising a blockadeagainst a DVU rally on 26 September.★ Police raided anti-fascist homes and confiscated petitionsagainst the NPD, thereby gaining the names and addressesof anti-fascists.★ A 16-year-old student has been convicted on flimsy evidence,including unclear video evidence and dubious policestatements, of causing damage to NPD vehicles. The courtsdid not allow witnesses to give evidence on the student’sbehalf.When the DVU first organised in Passau some twenty years agoan ‘Alliance against the DVU’ was formed. But it collapsed inthe 1990s due to internal disputes. PAZ is the first attempt sinceto unite anti-fascist organisations. (Junge Welt 4, 25.9, 15.10.98)Alliance against DVU in Sachsen-Anhalt formedOver 200 youth organisations, from several parties and associations,have come together to form ‘Ya Basta’, an alliance againstthe DVU in Sachsen-Anhalt. Anti-fascists argue that there mustbe an immediate education campaign in schools and youth centresto warn about the dangers of right-wing structures at thestate level. Meanwhile, the DVU party whip in the Sachsen-Anhalt parliament claims that the party membership is dramaticallyon the increase, adding that there are now 1,500 membersand 15 district associations across the state. (Junge Welt 27.8.98)Weimar city council demands police actionagainst fascistsThe Weimar City Council has urged police to act against agroup of over 30 fascists which has been systematically abusingforeigners and tourists, including an international delegationvisiting the Bauhaus University. Members of the newly-formedAction Civil Courage have criticised the practice whereby neonaziyoungsters are given access to youth centres and facilities.(Junge Welt 14.9.98)Youth work central in the fight against racismAs evidence mounts of neo-nazi infiltration of youth clubs, therole of youth workers in countering racism is becoming central.Austerity measures that force youth centres to close, particularlyin east Germany are being attacked for placing vulnerableyoung people even further in the sights of neo-nazi organisations.Anti-fascists act against neo-nazi youth centresAnti-Fascist Action in Berlin has criticised the PDS for distancingitself from a demonstration against a youth club in KoenigsWusterhausen which has been taken over by neo-nazis. AFAalso claims that the PDS is indirectly supporting the neo-nazisthrough communal funds to youth clubs. During the demonstration,anti-fascists clashed with police and five demonstratorswere arrested.The youth club, Oasis, is seen as a prime example of how
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Page 8 and 9: Hansen, has complained to the Minis
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Page 12 and 13: Our supporters must ‘prepare ment
Page 14 and 15: uation in other FN towns, the minor
Page 16 and 17: FORMER-YUGOSLAVIAHuman rights and t
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Page 22 and 23: Incensed at what it regards as an a
Page 24 and 25: Renewed criticism of withdrawal of
Page 26 and 27: parliamentary group. When the House
Page 28 and 29: asylum-seekers for congregating in
Page 30 and 31: ‘When spotted by coastguards, tra
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Page 34 and 35: assailants and charged them with as
Page 36 and 37: On 16 August, Corneliu Vadim Tudor,
Page 38 and 39: Workmates of Mohammed Rehman tied h
Page 40 and 41: head mobs who prevented them from r
Page 42 and 43: Dispersal and payment in kindPropos

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