The East German authorities are cracking down on neo-Nazi activities, which they once claimed did not exist in the Democratic Republic.
The official news agency, ADN, reported Wednesday that nine neo-Nazis went on trial in the Oranienburg district court Monday, charged with spreading anti-Semitic propaganda and displaying Nazi symbols.
East German officials Thursday also confirmed Western reports that seven neo-Nazis received prison sentences in Dresden at the end of March for circulating anti-Semitic propaganda, assaults on individuals and destruction of property. The sentences ranged from eight months to four years.
The neo-Nazi problem was acknowledged for the first time in December 1987, when the authorities announced the trial of several neo-Nazi groups, including some extreme right-wing organizations.
Some of those prosecuted included the so called “skinheads,” gangs of teenagers and young adults who shave their heads, wear Nazi-like costumes and engage disorderly conduct, often of an anti-Semitic nature.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
