Come to Dresden on 14 February 2009
On 14 February 2009, right-wing extremists from all over Europe will once again gather for their annual 'mourning march' in Dresden (D) - UNITED and the local platform Geh Denken calls for your help to stop the largest meeting of the European right-wing extremist movement!
In 2008 a frightening crowd of more than 6000 neo-nazis from Germany and foreign allied brotherhoods were mobilised for the largest gathering of the European right-wing extremist movement. Under the guise of commemorating the victims of the air raids against Dresden 13-15 February 1945, right-wing extremists claim the streets of Dresden to spread defamatory propaganda and gain public acceptance. Beside that, this self-declared 'March of mourning and commemoration' forms the highlight of a several days lasting network meeting of the right-wing extemist movement - where neo-nazis can get organised and receive ideological training.
UNITED calls for international support to make an end to the silent acceptance of this neo-nazi demonstration in the state of Saxony. We need your help to confront the neo-nazis in the streets of Dresden with active (peaceful) resistance and to create international pressure on the authorities of Dresden and Saxony. The city's official remembrance concept - a 'silent commemoration' - lacks a clear stand against modern right-wing extremism: LETS BREAK THE SILENCE!
In any case, the regional platform 'GehDenken' (Go and Think/Commemorate) together with UNITED is organising counter-actions in the streets of Dresden on 14 February 2009. Get united under the common title 'Commemorate - a clear STOP to right-wing extremism' and join forces in Dresden on 14 February 2009.
Get active together - use the opportunities!
Since some years, there have been a wide variety of activities against the march of right-wing extremists in Dresden. In 2006 the neo-nazi march was blocked successfully, but finally it was redirected and continued under rigorous protection of German police forces. In 2007 and 2008 German police guarded the way of this scandalous neo-nazi march, against the persistent protest of the anti-fascist movement.
In 2009, we call the European anti-discrimination movement to mobilise their forces to set an end to this public celebrated right-wing extremist procession.
Join us in the streets of Dresden on 14 February 2009 to stop the biggest annual neo-nazi gathering throughout Europe - peacefully and determined!
WHAT YOU CAN DO
* Inform all your contacts about this counter-action (translate this call and spread it in your country; use your newsletters / websites / mailing lists etc. to make this call for action visible to as many activists as possible)
* Organise buses, get your friends and come to Dresden on 14 February 2009
* Support our public call with signatures and/or statements of support from you or your organisation
* If you want to participate please inform us as soon as possible (we will try to organise budget accommodation)
More information under: http://www.geh-denken.de/joomla/international.html
Get in contact with us:
Preparation group 14 February 2009 'Geh Denken'
phone +49-351-5636669
UNITED for Intercultural Action
Postbus 413 - NL 1000 AK Amsterdam
phone +31-20-6834778 - fax +31-20-6834582
http://www.unitedagainstracism.org/
THOSE, WHO CLOSE THEIR EYES FOR RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM, AGREE WITH IT!
In this year Dresden marks the kick-of for the 'super election year 2009' and far right groups will exploit the public platform for political propaganda. Under the patronage of the German authorities this annual neo-nazi gathering in Dresden mainstreams right-wing extremism, destructs democracy and corrupts the country's political conviction. It is simply a SCANDAL that police is protecting the biggest neo-nazi gathering in whole Europe and that Dresden's authorities accept that right-wing extremists are taking over places and topics of remembrance. We shall not allow any propaganda platform to right-wing extremists.
This self declared 'March of mourning and commemoration' of neo-nazis from all over Europe has nothing to do with freedom of speech! The neo-nazi party NPD (National Party Germany), one of the co-organisers of this march, refers to the destruction of Dresden in 1945 as a 'bombing Holocaust', comparing the air raids with the murder of millions of Jews. Banners, flags and public speeches at the neo-nazi gathering openly relativise the nazi crimes, downgrade the Holocaust, glorify nationalism and 'mourn' the territorial losses of the 'Third Reich' after the 2nd World War.
CONTRADICT HISTORICAL REVISIONISM!
Right-wing extremist mass events like in Dresden promote the entrance into the anti-democratic movement among the participants, celebrate the brotherhood of a supposed national-socialist identity and provide a networking platform for right-wing extremists from all over Europe.
Such revisionist remembrance events strengthen the traditional lines towards the historical National Socialism. Equalising the victims of the air raids on Dresden and the victims who died in the concentration and destruction camps downplays and trivialises the Holocaust.
While Leningrad (RUS), Rotterdam (NL) or Coventry (GB) were targets of the German war of aggression and destruction, Dresden was bombed in the course of the ending of Hitler's national-socialist tyranny. Many right wing extremists argument that the bombing of Dresden was rather aimed to 'take revenge' on the civil society in Germany than targeted at military and industrial areas. Far-right politicians in Germany have sparked a national debate by promoting the term "Bombenholocaust" ("holocaust by bomb") to describe the raids. In order to oppose the extreme right propaganda, the difference between the Holocaust and the bombing of Dresden may not be blurred.
