Delegate's Nazi Past Clouds German Presidential Election

[Kellanved]

A decision by Germany's Christian Democrats to include a former state premier with a Nazi past as a delegate for Sunday's presidential election has been harshly criticized by Jewish groups and left-wing politicians.

Hans Filbinger, 90, was forced to resign as premier of the southern state of Baden-Württemberg in 1978 after it emerged that as a naval judge he shared responsibility for handing down death sentences in the waning months of Nazi Germany.

Filbinger's opponents are criticizing that until today he's kept defending his activities then. "What was the law then cannot be unlawful today," is how Filbinger has justified his position.


The right-wing politician's nomination by Christian Democrats to participate in Sunday's so-called federal assembly, which is comprised of members of parliament as well as an equal number of representatives from Germany's 16 states, has provoked outcry from members of Germany's governing coalition, intellectuals and Jewish leaders.
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http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1432_A_1209021_1_A,00.html

[rooboy]

1. Obviously an attempt to restore friendly relations with the Whitehouse. nt

[Kellanved]

4. more like showing it's past

The CDU has so many former Nazis, it is almost a follow-up party.

:kick:

[David__77]

2. CDU and FDP both coddle Nazis.

Especially the "liberal" pro-free market FDP has been riven by Nazis. After capitulation, the Nazi elite moved into these parties to maintain their social position, with little complaint by any but the Soviet occupying power.

[Kellanved]

3. to the FDP's defense

In the 80s the FDP produced some of the finest German statesmen and was a home to great liberal thinkers.

After their latest Anti-Semitic escapades and general neo-liberal nonsense I don't see why they even bother trying to look like an independent party.
Their greatest fear is that the press realizes that their economic program (and they have nothing but an economic program) is identical to the Green's.

The Filbinger affair does one thing: some liberal (or Jewish) CDU and FDP deputies might realize that they don't want to vote for the same man as Filbinger. (Especially as Köhler is, mildly put, an unfit idiot.)