Is the Ugly German Back? Flames of Hate Haunt a Nation

[marmar]

from Der Spiegel:

During the first six months of this year, right-wing extremists in Germany committed attacks against places housing asylum-seekers on an almost daily basis. Many refugees living in the country fear for their lives.

It's a Monday night in July and Samuel Osei is frightened to death. Two neo-Nazis have entered the concrete bloc apartment building where Osei is staying, on the edge of Greifswald, a city in eastern Germany. The two men are drunk and swearing. Osei, an asylum-seeker from Ghana, steps out on his balcony and tries to placate them. "I'm sorry," he calls out. But the right-wing extremists only grow more aggressive. They begin shouting. One of the two takes off his shirt and Osei recognizes a swastika on his chest.

The men storm into the building and begin pounding on the door to Osei's apartment. They then go down to the basement and remove the fuses, cutting off the power. Osei cowers in his room in the dark. He calls a friend who in turn alerts the police. The attackers have already left by the time officers.
Osei chokes up when he talks about that evening a week and a half ago. Traces of the attack are still visible -- the door is dented and its peephole shattered. "These guys wanted to put an end to something," he says.

Osei, who is 29, has been living in Germany for eight months. He's taking German lessons and earns his money by helping other refugees move. Osei likes Greifswald, which is located on the Baltic coast -- he especially likes the sea and the Old Town. He says most people in the city are friendly and helpful. At the same time, he's struggling with the animosity he has experienced at the hands of racists.

One of the men involved in the attack had already cursed at him on the street. His mailbox at the apartment was also vandalized several times. The Ghanaian also has photos of the two attackers and has given a statement to the police. The state Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which is responsible for monitoring extremists, including neo-Nazis, in Germany, has also opened an investigation. "It was mental torture," Osei says. .................(more)

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/germany-registers-sharp-increase-in-attacks-on-asylumseekers-a-1045207.html

[fasttense]

1. The reason racism and Nazi hatred has come back to Germany is because the corporate bankster state

is promoting it.

Did you notice how Chancellor Angela Merkel did NOT negotiate with those lazy, overindulged Greeks? She could not negotiate with them. She is captured by the corporate banksters who promote the exact same ideology as Nazis.

It's not the hard working, white skinned, blond, blue eyed German's fault the economy is just so awful. It's NOT those hardworking rich people's fault they have all the money and that the majority of the hard working white German's don't have much and MUST suffer more austerity. It's all those lazy, welfare, do nothing tax avoiding Greeks, or (as Mitt put it) the 47%, or the blacks, or the Mexicans or the Jews. This mentality that wants you to blame the poor immigrant or those people who are different from the majority for the awful economic conditions is the same mentality that led to WWII.

Angela Merkel is playing a very dangerous game. By refusing to negotiate with Greece, she has signaled to the Nazis (dog whistle anyone?) in her country that it's OK to blame other races, religions and nations for the awful economy. Just so long as they don't blame the real culprits - the banksters and the rich corporate elite.

[Euphoria]

3. Sadly I agree.

Sad because Germany is a great country with wonderful people. Sad because Merkel and her party/ies are exactly doing what the above poster wrote. And sad because this is not good - for Germany, EU (Merkel and company leading the EU), and precedent. This bankster and corporate cronyism is not good for humanity. Seriously not good.