DATE=1/14/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-225274
TITLE=GERMANY / EXTREMISM (L ONLY)
BYLINE=KYLE KING
DATELINE=BONN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A GERMAN PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE HAS OPENED A PROBE INTO
THE EXTENT OF NEO-NAZI ACTIVITIES IN THE COUNTRY'S ARMY. THE
INQUIRY FOLLOWS A SERIES OF EMBARRASSING SCANDALS TO HIT THE
GERMAN MILITARY. AS VOA'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM BONN, OFFICIALS
SAY THE PROBE ALSO COINCIDES WITH AN INCREASE IN HATE CRIMES,
WHICH HAVE OFFICIALS CONCERNED.
TEXT: THE PARLIAMENTARY PROBE INTO NEO-NAZI ACTIVITIES IN THE
GERMAN ARMY WAS SPARKED BY REVELATIONS THAT CONVICTED ARSONIST
MANFRED ROEDER WAS INVITED TO SPEAK AT GERMANY'S ELITE MILITARY
ACADEMY IN 1995.
THAT SCANDAL, WHICH ERUPTED LAST MONTH, FOLLOWED OTHER
REVELATIONS OF SOLDIERS SHOUTING ANTI-SEMITIC AND NEO-NAZI
SLOGANS AT BARRACKS PARTIES, AND THE DISCOVERY OF VIDEO TAPES
THAT FEATURED SOLDIERS ACTING OUT NEO-NAZI SKITS AND PRETENDING
TO CARRYING OUT RAPES AND KILLINGS.
DEFENSE MINISTER VOLKER RUEHE SAYS THE INCIDENTS ARE ISOLATED AND
ARE NOT PART OF AN ARMY WIDE PROBLEM. NEVERTHELESS, HE
ACKNOWLEDGES THE SCANDALS HAVE HURT THE REPUTATION OF THE MODERN
GERMAN ARMY, WHICH HAS ONLY RECENTLY BEGUN TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE
ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.
MEANWHILE, GERMAN OFFICIALS ARE ALSO STRUGGLING WITH AN INCREASE
IN THE NUMBER OF ASSAULTS AND OTHER CRIMES BY RIGHT-WING
EXTREMISTS.
THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL OFFICE FOR PROTECTION OF THE
CONSTITUTION, KLAUS DIETER FRITSCHE, SAYS MOST OF THE ATTACKS
APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT BY YOUTHS.
// FRITSCHE ACT, IN GERMAN, FADES //
IN THE LAST YEAR, MR. FRITSCHE SAYS, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED AN
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ATTACKS BY CLUB-WIELDING SKINHEADS IN
EASTERN GERMANY, AS WELL AS IN BIG CITIES IN THE WESTERN PART OF
THE COUNTRY. THE ATTACKS, HE SAYS, HAVE BEEN DIRECTED AT THE
HOMELESS, AS WELL AS AGAINST FOREIGNERS.
CRIMES AGAINST FOREIGNERS, WHICH REACHED A PEAK IN THE YEARS
FOLLOWING GERMAN UNIFICATION, HAVE FALLEN SHARPLY SINCE THEN.
OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE NOT YET SURE WHAT TRIGGERED LAST YEAR'S
TWO PERCENT INCREASE, BUT MR. FRITSCHE BELIEVES GERMANY'S RECORD
HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT HAS PLAYED A ROLE.
// SECOND FRITSCHE ACT, IN GERMAN, FADES //
THERE IS ANXIETY ABOUT THE FUTURE, MR. FRITSCHE SAYS -- ABOUT HOW
TO FIND WORK AND JOB SECURITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST, WHERE
PEOPLE ARE STILL ENDURING A PAINFUL TRANSITION.
//OPT// MR. FRITSCHE, WHOSE AGENCY IS CHARGED WITH MONITORING
EXTREMIST ACTIVITIES IN GERMANY, SAYS THE FLOURISHING FAR RIGHT
MUSIC SCENE IS ALSO A WORRYING DEVELOPMENT.
// THIRD FRITSCHE ACT, IN GERMAN, FADES //
THIS MUSIC HAS HEIGHTENED THE SPIRIT OF THE RIGHT-WING SCENE, MR.
FRITSCHE SAYS. THE THEMES ARE CLEARLY ANTI-SEMITIC, RACIST AND
ANTI-FOREIGNER. //END OPT//
AUTHORITIES ARE WORKING TO HALT THE IMPORTATION OF NEO-NAZI
C-D'S, VIDEOS AND MAGAZINES, WHICH ARE ILLEGAL IN GERMANY, BUT
THEY SAY THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN MADE MORE COMPLICATED BY THE
GROWING USE OF THE INTERNET.
TO COMBAT THE GROWTH IN VIOLENT RIGHT-WING CRIME, AUTHORITIES IN
THE EASTERN GERMAN STATE OF BRANDENBURG HAVE ANNOUNCED FORMATION
OF A SPECIAL POLICE UNIT.
OFFICIALS SAY THEY HOPE THAT BY FOCUSING ON KNOWN NEO-NAZI
TROUBLE SPOTS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO BREAK UP BANNED GATHERINGS AND
PREVENT ANY FURTHER INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ATTACKS. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/PCF
14-Jan-98 1:25 PM EST (1825 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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