A leader in a far-right party in Germany was sentenced to prison for Holocaust denial and beating up anti-fascist activists.
Marcel W??ll, the 24-year-old leader of the National Democratic Party’s division in the German state of Hessen, was sentenced to four months in prison, according to The Associated Press.
Woll has called school trips to former concentration camps like Auschwitz a form of “brainwashing” and has said the government should not subsidize such outings to the “so-called sites of National Socialist terror.” The remarks prompted a lawsuit against him by a local politician.
More recently, W??ll was kicked out of a council meeting in June after he physically accosted youths who were handing out anti-fascist leaflets calling for the banning of his right-wing extremist party. The youths had received official permission to hand out the leaflets.
W??ll said he would appeal his sentence, which was handed down in the Friedberg County court on Tuesday.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.