Remagen holds large counter-demonstration Politicians condemn right-wing extremist marchers
Remagen · An annual gathering of right-wing extremist marchers was met with a large counter-demonstration and “Day of Democracy” in the town of Remagen, around 15 kilometers south of Bonn. The demonstrations remained peaceful.
Right-wing extremist groups came to Remagen again this year to join in the annual "commemoration march for the dead in the allied Rheinwiesenlager”. (The Rheinwiesenlager was a U.S. army prisoner camp in the fields along the Rhine River near Remagen, where tens of thousands of German soldiers were held after having been captured in April of 1945. There were subsequently more than a thousand deaths reported there, the actual numbers are a disputed matter.)
The right-wing protestors were met with counter-demonstrators, with only a few meters separating the two groups on the Rhine-Ahr Campus. That was intentional, because the "Alliance for Democracy" wanted to show the neo-Nazis through eye contact: "You are not wanted here". Except for a few sit-in blockades on the street and protestors climbing trees, the demonstrations involving 130 right-wing extremists and 1,000 counter-demonstrators were peaceful, according to the police. On the scene were 480 police officers.
The "Day of Democracy" began with an ecumenical service in the chapel of the Black Madonna. According to Pastor Frank Klupsch, this work of art by Adolf Wamper, a soldier who was held in the Rhine prisoner of war camp, is "a sign of life, a sign of hope". He encouraged the Democrats "to stand up against everything that is hostile to humanity". In a large shoulder-to-shoulder rally, all of the speakers, including community and political leaders, expressed their concern about the state of Germany with regard to the resurgence of right-wing ideology, which would not shy away from violence.
Dietmar Muscheid, a local union official said one needed to give the right-wing demonstrators their freedom of assembly but indicated that they should not be left to their own devices, that there needs to be a counter. Sabrina Kunz from the police union emphasized the non-violent nature of the counter-protest, which was nevertheless allowed to be "loud and funny, creative and colorful”.
The Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer, appeared impressed by the commitment of the "Alliance for Democracy": "This fills me with great pleasure. She condemned "this hideous Nazi-spooking", but had to admit that Germany "again has a structural problem with right-wing extremism". Dreyer called for "resistance against right-wing extremists in Springer boots and bomber jackets”, but also against the right extremists "in suit and tie" who could gain seats in the parliaments. She told the public to report and file complaints on right-wing hate crimes on the internet. Local official Jürgen Pföhler spoke of right-wing terror being networked and said "it's a disgrace to our country.” One had to "intervene with all means of the rule of law". He called on the audience to show civil courage even in private: "It is up to each and every one of us to defend our democracy".
At the end of his speech, Mayor Björn Ingendahl called out to the right-wing demonstrators: "Stay at home, because Remagen is our home”. In addition to demonstrations and speeches, there were also singer-songwriters on the campus stage and other entertainment at the market square for “The Day of Democracy”.
Orig. text: Sebastian Kirschner
Translation: ck
