DATE=1/14/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-225274

TITLE=GERMANY / EXTREMISM (L ONLY)

BYLINE=KYLE KING

DATELINE=BONN

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  A GERMAN PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE HAS OPENED A PROBE INTO 

THE EXTENT OF NEO-NAZI ACTIVITIES IN THE COUNTRY'S ARMY.   THE 

INQUIRY FOLLOWS A SERIES OF EMBARRASSING SCANDALS TO HIT THE 

GERMAN MILITARY.  AS VOA'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM BONN, OFFICIALS

SAY THE PROBE ALSO COINCIDES WITH AN INCREASE IN HATE CRIMES, 

WHICH HAVE OFFICIALS CONCERNED.



TEXT:  THE PARLIAMENTARY PROBE INTO NEO-NAZI ACTIVITIES IN THE 

GERMAN ARMY WAS SPARKED BY REVELATIONS THAT CONVICTED ARSONIST 

MANFRED ROEDER WAS INVITED TO SPEAK AT GERMANY'S ELITE MILITARY 

ACADEMY IN 1995.



THAT SCANDAL, WHICH ERUPTED LAST MONTH, FOLLOWED OTHER 

REVELATIONS OF SOLDIERS SHOUTING ANTI-SEMITIC AND NEO-NAZI 

SLOGANS AT BARRACKS PARTIES, AND THE DISCOVERY OF VIDEO TAPES 

THAT FEATURED SOLDIERS ACTING OUT NEO-NAZI SKITS AND PRETENDING 

TO CARRYING OUT RAPES AND KILLINGS.



DEFENSE MINISTER VOLKER RUEHE SAYS THE INCIDENTS ARE ISOLATED AND

ARE  NOT  PART OF AN ARMY WIDE PROBLEM.  NEVERTHELESS, HE 

ACKNOWLEDGES THE SCANDALS HAVE HURT THE REPUTATION OF THE MODERN 

GERMAN ARMY, WHICH HAS ONLY RECENTLY BEGUN TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE 

ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.



MEANWHILE, GERMAN OFFICIALS ARE ALSO STRUGGLING WITH AN INCREASE 

IN THE NUMBER OF ASSAULTS AND OTHER CRIMES BY RIGHT-WING 

EXTREMISTS.



THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL OFFICE FOR PROTECTION OF THE 

CONSTITUTION, KLAUS DIETER FRITSCHE, SAYS MOST OF THE ATTACKS 

APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT BY YOUTHS.



              // FRITSCHE ACT, IN GERMAN, FADES //



IN THE LAST YEAR, MR. FRITSCHE SAYS, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED AN 

INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ATTACKS BY CLUB-WIELDING SKINHEADS IN 

EASTERN GERMANY, AS WELL AS IN BIG CITIES IN THE WESTERN PART OF 

THE COUNTRY. THE ATTACKS, HE SAYS, HAVE BEEN DIRECTED AT THE 

HOMELESS, AS WELL AS AGAINST FOREIGNERS.



CRIMES AGAINST FOREIGNERS, WHICH REACHED A PEAK IN THE YEARS 

FOLLOWING GERMAN UNIFICATION, HAVE FALLEN SHARPLY SINCE THEN.  

OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE  NOT  YET SURE WHAT TRIGGERED LAST YEAR'S 

TWO PERCENT INCREASE, BUT MR. FRITSCHE BELIEVES GERMANY'S RECORD 

HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT HAS PLAYED A ROLE.



           // SECOND FRITSCHE ACT, IN GERMAN, FADES //



THERE IS ANXIETY ABOUT THE FUTURE, MR. FRITSCHE SAYS -- ABOUT HOW

TO FIND WORK AND JOB SECURITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST, WHERE 

PEOPLE ARE STILL ENDURING A PAINFUL TRANSITION.



//OPT// MR. FRITSCHE, WHOSE AGENCY IS CHARGED WITH MONITORING 

EXTREMIST ACTIVITIES IN GERMANY, SAYS THE FLOURISHING FAR RIGHT 

MUSIC SCENE IS ALSO A WORRYING DEVELOPMENT.



           // THIRD FRITSCHE ACT, IN GERMAN, FADES //



THIS MUSIC HAS HEIGHTENED THE SPIRIT OF THE RIGHT-WING SCENE, MR.

FRITSCHE SAYS.  THE THEMES ARE CLEARLY ANTI-SEMITIC, RACIST AND 

ANTI-FOREIGNER. //END OPT//



AUTHORITIES ARE WORKING TO HALT THE IMPORTATION OF NEO-NAZI 

C-D'S, VIDEOS AND MAGAZINES, WHICH ARE ILLEGAL IN GERMANY, BUT 

THEY SAY THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN MADE MORE COMPLICATED BY THE 

GROWING USE OF THE INTERNET.



TO COMBAT THE GROWTH IN VIOLENT RIGHT-WING CRIME, AUTHORITIES IN 

THE EASTERN GERMAN STATE OF BRANDENBURG HAVE ANNOUNCED FORMATION 

OF A SPECIAL POLICE UNIT.



OFFICIALS SAY THEY HOPE THAT BY FOCUSING ON KNOWN NEO-NAZI 

TROUBLE SPOTS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO BREAK UP BANNED GATHERINGS AND

PREVENT ANY FURTHER INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ATTACKS.  (SIGNED)



NEB/KBK/PCF







14-Jan-98 1:25 PM EST (1825 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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