No to neo-Nazis

Life in Neuruppin is not much different than in other small towns in Germany. You'll find people shopping or going about their business in the center of town, which has been carefully reconstructed at a substantial cost. A steady flow of traffic drives over the cobblestones, which have also been restored to their original state.

What may not be apparent at first is that something is brewing beneath the surface in this town, whose most famous son is the 19th century novelist and poet Theodor Fontane.

A group of neo-Nazis called the Free Forces of Neuruppin/Westhavelland, are aiming to make Neuruppin one of their strongholds - and they are doing so with the considerable support of the far-right National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD). The small town's proximity to Berlin, with easy access to the motorway, practically guarantees substantial media exposure.

However, Neuruppin's mayor, Jens-Peter Golde, believes there is another reason for the increased activity of the far right here.

"The NPD's election results in the region have been quite modest compared to other parts of eastern Germany," the mayor said. Far-right candidates tend not to even bother running in municipal or regional elections in the area and they're trying to build up alternative structures instead.

Incidents of violence decreasing

"I don't go out onto the streets at night," said Michael Mba. The 39-year-old, born in Cameroon, has been living in a home for asylum seekers on the outskirts of Neuruppin for the past three years. Big chunks of the plasterwork have fallen off the five-storey building, constructed during the communist era in eastern Germany. The building is enclosed by a steel fence.

While there have been extreme-right attacks on the building in the past, Mba says that the villages round about are much more dangerous for people of color than Neuruppin itself. He feels safe there, and says that "the people are friendly and they do a lot to protect foreigners."

Over the past few years, the number of incidents of violence against foreigners has decreased. Back in the 1990s there was a wave of right-wing violence in the region, but since then the far right have changed their methods. Over the past few years they have focused on political propaganda and infiltrating local clubs and organizations.

Over the past year neo-Nazis have organized several events in Neuruppin. In July about 200 neo-Nazis from throughout the region gathered for a demonstration in the center of town. However they were prevented from holding their march after a group of activists from Neuruppin blocked the route by staging a sit-in.

The right-wing extremists returned in September, along with a massive police presence which had been called in to protect the demonstration from the local population.

The climax of right-wing activities came in November, when the NPD held its national convention in Neuruppin. A ruling by the higher regional court meant the town was powerless to stop it. However, hundreds of Neuruppin residents voiced their disapproval by greeting the delegates with a chorus of boos and jeers.

'Multi-colored' resistance

Such acts of resistance have been organized by the "Neuruppin stays multi-colored" alliance, which was founded in 2007. Wolfgang Freese, who has been part of the organization since Day One, remembers how back then, right-wing extremists chose September 1, World Peace Day, to hold a major demonstration, something that angered many Neuruppin residents. It took just four days for the locals to organize a 1,000-strong counter-demonstration

"That made us proud," Freese said.

Ever since, right-wing extremists have held annual demonstrations in the town. In order to prevent them from marching on "symbolic dates," the alliance applies for permits to hold its own demonstrations on days like May 8, the "day of liberation from fascism," or November 9, the anniversary of the Night of Broken Glass.

Recently, the alliance scored what may be its greatest victory so far in its battle against the neo-Nazis, when NPD leaders were forced to hold the closing press conference of their national convention in front of a backdrop of anti-Nazi posters. The posters showed angry Neuruppin residents making gestures that showed just what they think of the right-wing extremists. The alliance had applied for and received a court order preventing the posters from being removed.

"It takes guts"

Freese knows that people don't take such a stand without thinking twice about it.

"It takes guts for an average citizen to allow his or her picture to be displayed on a poster against neo-Nazis," Freese said.

But the majority of the town's residents seem to be determined not to allow Neuruppin to become an extreme-right stronghold.

"Right-wing extremism doesn't stand a chance in Neuruppin," said 63-year-old pensioner Martha Thielemann, adding that people in the town look out for one another. "We have clearly shown that we don't want them, we don't need them, and that they should be banned by the state."

Celal Kutlu, a 52-year-old Turk who has operated a kebab snack bar for the past 16 years, agrees, saying he feels safe in Neuruppin: "I do not know what the future will bring, but at the moment, I am not afraid."

At the same time, the threat of right-wing extremism should not be taken lightly, according to Fiore Egidio, the owner of an Italian restaurant. He said he couldn't understand why "the NPD is still permitted in Germany."

The government needs to do more

Wolfgang Freese is skeptical about the likelihood of the NPD being banned, although he would welcome such a move. More important is "preventing right-wing ideas from taking root in the minds of young people in particular," the 52-year-old teacher said.

"What we really need are new projects in schools and where young people spend their free time. It is not acceptable for the federal government to cut the funding available for such projects," Freese said.

However, just a few days ago the ministry for family affairs announced that contrary to previous statements, there would be no cuts to funding for projects aimed at countering right-wing extremism.

Author: Uwe Hessler / pfd
Editor: Michael Lawton