Plan to Ban Neo-nazi Propaganda Faces Difficulties in Parliament

A long-standing plan of the ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Bonn to tighten laws against neo-Nazi propaganda is facing increased difficulties in the Parliament. A recent review made by German journalists showed that the initiative is highly contested among lawmakers of the SPD-Free Democratic Party (FPD) coalition, let alone deputies of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) opposition.

CDU member of Parliament Beno Erhard said it was a “joke” to initiate a ban on neo-Nazi propaganda material because, he argued, the Federal Republic would be the only country to take such a course of action.

Detlef Kleinert, a member of the FPD coalition partner, has expressed “great satisfaction” over the fact that Justice Minister Juergen Schmude has reversed a plan of the SPD to ban Hitler’s book, “Mein Kampf,” and other material that was rife under the Nazi regime. But legal expert Alfred Emmerlich of the SPD faction, a former judge, still wants this ban to be decided upon by Parliament.

There are even differences of opinion on a bill that would give state prosecutors the power to charge persons who circulate the so-called “Auschwitz lies” — according to which the persecution or organized murder of Jews never existed under the Nazis. But here the differences are described as relatively minor, and legal experts see a good chance of finding a compromise.

As things stand now it seems probable that the SPD will succeed in getting Parliament to pass at least some of the new bills aimed at countering Nazi propaganda. But over the past few weeks the opponents of that move have been successfully lobbying against the initiative and actually have been able to narrow the whole approach. This process is likely to continue in the few weeks remaining for the preliminary negotiations among the three parliamentary factions.