Block the Nazis in Stolberg / Germany Antifa Düren - 19.04.2008 13:08
After the stabbing of a 19-year old student by a 18-year old migrant on the 4th of april in the german city of Stolberg, Neonazi-groups abuse the crime for their racist propaganda. Although authorites say that the reason for that crime lies in the victims and suspects personal circumstances, fascists are trying to establish a legend of a nationalist martyrer. They are taking the swedish town of Salem as an example. Annualy in december Salem is the location of the largest gathering of neonazis in Northern Europe. Rightwing extremists worship Daniel Wretström, a neonazi murdered in 2000. On the 14th April, about 800 neonazis from all over Germany marched through Stolberg, led by the nazi leader Christian Worch from Hamburg. Already on the day after the crime, some 160 fascists gathered in Stolberg. Stolberg, located close to Aachen, not far away from the belgian and dutch border, is a „stronghold“ of rightwing-extremism in Western Germany. Since the last local elections in 2004, the „Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands“ („National Democratic Party“, NPD) and the „Deutsche Volksunion“ („German People Union“, DVU) have three deputies in the town council. Also the surrounding region of Stolberg is facing the threat of neonazism. E.g. followers of the NPD marched through Düren, 20 km distant from Stolberg, in September 2007 and February 2008. For the 26th of april, fascists are planning their next „funeral march“ in Stolberg. Antifascists are calling for protests. Next you will find a translation of the appeal by the „Antifaschistische Aktionsbündnis Aachen“ (a league of antifascist groups and organisations in the region of Aachen): URGENT CALL FOR ACTION „Block the Nazis in Stolberg / Germany“ The Nazis want to frighten a whole city and region. On the 26th of April, they are planning to march for the second time within two weeks through Stolberg (a small city located close to Aachen) and to spread their racist propaganda. The extreme right „National Democratic Party“ (NPD) mobilizes for that march countrywide. The Nazis try to take advantage of the death of a 19-year old student, who they consider to be a „comrade“. But family and friends say, that the victim was not a nazi-sympathizer. They contradict that his death is abused for the political objectives of the right-wing extremists. Regardless, the nazis see an oppurtunity to get more influence and expand their organizations in the region of Aachen. Under the cloak of funeral marches, they plan to turn Stolberg into a place of pilgrimage and a countrywide base for nazi-activities. It is urgently necessary, to decline this plans in a forceful and concerted way. Unfortunately, local media spoke in the same breath of protest rallies of „right wings and left wing extremists“ several times. It is a scandal to compare pupils, students, migrants and left activists protesting against neonazism and racism with fascists. Nazis want to abandon all democratic rights. With their racist propaganda they want to split the working class and youth. Violent fascists attack migrants, youngsters and dedicated people in the trade unions. Trade unions have a special responsibilty to stir people into action against the facist agitators. People should live and work together without fear and racist split. Only together we are able to fight against the dismantling of the welfare state, job loss and growing poverty. It is necessary to oppose the Nazis directly on the same day when and at the place where they are planning to march. Any avoiding would be interpreted as weakness and encourage them to a more bold and brutal behavior. Thus we are we call out on protests against the fascist „funeral march“. With a powerful protest march, we can push the Nazis back. Together we – people with and without a german passport, pupils, students, employees and unemployed from Stolberg, Aachen, many other cities and even from Belgium and the Netherlands – will oppose the fascists on 26th of apil. The protest rally starts on 26th of April, 9 a.m. at the „Kaiserplatz“ in Stolberg. For more information surf to http://www.antifa-dueren.org Website: http://www.antifa-dueren.org |