A court in the West German city of Aachen has overruled authorities in the nearby town of Stolberg, who refused to rent a municipal hall to the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party for its national convention April 21-22.
The town, which is near the Belgian border, cited the imminent danger of clashes between NPD delegates and anti-Nazi protesters. But the court declared the ban illegal.
The extreme right-wing NPD, which numbers many Nazi veterans among its members, is barred from West Berlin by the Allied Powers. It is free to operate in the Federal Republic, but has declined in popularity, after some successes in local and regional elections in the 1970s.
The NPD has been overshadowed on the far right by the Munich-based Republican Party, headed by a former Waffen SS officer, Franz Schoenhuber. The Republicans, likewise, have shown substantially poorer at the polls this year since German unification became a likelihood.
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.
