cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43863645

Nazi salutes such as “Heil Hitler” or “Sieg Heil” are illegal in Germany. Members of the AfD, which Germany’s counterintelligence service described in May as a demonstrably right-wing extremist party, have faced a number of scandals in the past over using Nazi salutes or slogans.

[Alternative for Germany (AfD) MP Matthias] Moosdorf’s case happened in June 2023 when, according to the public prosecutor’s office, he greeted his colleague in the Nazi manner by clicking his heels together and raising his right arm at the entrance to the locker room area of the lower house. The public prosecutor’s office has now charged him with using unconstitutional symbols.

The Bundestag has already stripped 60-year-old Moosdorf of his immunity from prosecution. [He] is described by critics as particularly pro-Russian.

Since the start of Russia’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moosdorf has opposed weapons aid to Kyiv, claiming that opposing Russia means that Germany will end up like it did “in 1945”. The Soviet Union and the Western Allies defeated Nazi Germany that year.

Last year Moosdorf also became a target of criticism even within his own party after he accepted an honorary professorship at the Moscow Academy of Music [he is a Cellist]. Until June this year he held the post of the party’s foreign policy spokesperson.

Moosdorf’s predecessor in that position was Petr Bystroň, who is of Czech origin. Bystroň now faces suspicions of accepting bribes from the pro-Russian “Voice of Europe” news server.

Germany prohibits the distribution or public use of symbols of unconstitutional groups, in particular, flags, forms of greeting, insignia, slogans, and uniforms. Among other things, the ban applies to Nazi greetings, as well as to the farewell phrase “with German regards” (mit deutschem Gruß), which the Nazis also abused.

  • njm1314@lemmy.world
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    14 hours ago

    Sure is funny how Putin keeps claiming to be fighting against Nazis yet all his friends are Nazis isn’t it?

    • leriotdelac@lemmy.zip
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      36 minutes ago

      Trust me, he’s a raging fascist (going by Eco’s definition) and a nationalist in the worst sense possible.

      After WWII it’s enough to call your enemy a nazi in Russia to get public support - the trauma is still there. Of course he’s using it.

      • hunnybubny@discuss.tchncs.de
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        18 minutes ago

        Plot twist: russia has been a fascist state ever since stalin took over.

        Calling ussr at any point communist is the biggest lie of the last century.

  • blazeknave@lemmy.world
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    15 hours ago

    What was Germany’s process developing new government and laws after the war? Who does that? How is it decided? Etc

    Genuinely very interested in this and what life was like for average working class bystander Germans right after the war, in limbo without a functioning government

    • dfyx@lemmy.helios42.de
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      2 hours ago

      I tried to summarize it but couldn’t get it to a good length without losing too much detail. I would recommend this Wikipedia article (just run it through some translation tool; it’s way more detailed than the English article).

      • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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        21 hours ago

        Just because they support Nazis and behave exactly as Nazis would, doesn’t mean they’re Nazis. We have to give them the benefit of the doubt until they have all of us up against the wall.

        • Kami@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          21 hours ago

          Let’s be rational for a moment: even if we are all up against the wall and they are pointing their weapons at us, it doesn’t automatically mean they are Nazis.

          • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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            21 hours ago

            Good point, I really shouldn’t jump to conclusions like that, it’s unfair to them. They could simply be distressed about the economy.

            • Quetzalcutlass@lemmy.world
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              14 hours ago

              Who amongst us hasn’t called for the extermination of marginalized ethnic groups after feeling a little economic anxiety?

    • Deconceptualist@leminal.space
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      22 hours ago

      Ah of course. I’m sure one is naturally inclined to click their heels before waving to the birds in the windowless locker room.