One West German of every four would vote for the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party “under certain circumstances,” according to a survey made on behalf of the Social Democratic Party, which marked yesterday the first anniversary of its participation in a coalition government headed by Kurt Kiesinger.
The survey indicated that fear of mass unemployment would boost the voting support for the NPD by an “alarming” 25 percent. One Social Democratic leader was quoted as saying that “the great danger in Germany lies on the right, and not enough is being done to draw attention to this threat.” He added that “one day we will wake up and it will be too late.”
Angry street clashes, reminiscent of the early days of the Hitler era, broke out in Duisburg this weekend, when the neo-Nazi NPD held a rally addressed by its chairman, Adolf von Thadden. A 54-year-old accountant collapsed and died of a heart attack in the melee between supporters and opponents of the NPD, and several other persons were slightly injured. Police broke up the fighting and arrested three persons who were later released. The death was the second to occur at an NPD rally. A Bavarian news photographer died of a heart attack in Ulm two weeks ago when a smoke bomb exploded next to him at a party meeting.
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