The local German court has sent Franz Linder, an elderly pensioner, to jail for four months, after finding him guilty of insult, libel and defamation of the dead because of anti-Jewish statements. He made the remarks on a postcard about a Jew who lived in the same apartment house with him.
The Darmsta It Jewish Community, which intervened in the case as co-plaintiff, advanced the argument, which was accepted by the court, that an expression of regret about the fact that not all Jews were killed under Nazism, constitutes a violation of the article in the German Penal Code prohibiting defamation of the dead.
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.
