Martin Hess, June 18, 2020, Federal Police Commissioner

Martin Hess

Federal Police Commissioner

German Bundestag, June 18, 2020, Plenarprotokoll 19/166, pp. 20692-20693

[Martin Hess is an Alternative für Deutschland Bundestag member from Baden-Württemberg. He is a police officer and here responds to a motion by the Green party to establish a Federal Police Commissioner.]

Right honorable Herr President. Honored colleagues.

Allow me to begin with a clear statement in regards the present and on-going racism campaign against our police: There is no structural racism in the police.

Despite adverse conditions, our police officers perform outstanding work. The basis of their proceedings is not the skin color or ethnicity of a man but his conduct. That is also shown in the statistics. Of the 1.9 million police actions in Baden-Württemberg in the year 2019, there were only four – I reiterate: four – charges on account of ethnic-based discrimination. Where there has been misconduct by officers, the police and the courts are very much disposed to consequently and effectively punish this. For that, neither a Federal police commissioner nor an ostensibly independent proceedings office are required. So finally stop asserting the opposite! What you are pursuing is not the justified criticism of state institutions, but an act of  contempt for our police and judiciary! Therefore, in no case can your motion be supported. Those who believe that the police and judiciary can be defamed, must be consequently ordered with all vigor to stop.

Yet, right honorable ladies and gentlemen of the Greens, with you, it is quite certainly not about the fight against what is in fact wrong, or the elimination of the same. Wherever you go, it is to spread the general suspicion of racism against the men and women who undertake to guarantee the security of our citizens. The acceptance of your motion would lead to the result of providing cover to a greater degree than hitherto for clan criminals, perpetrators with migrant backgrounds and violent, left-wing extremists so as to hinder proceedings  and prosecutions. We will resolutely oppose this sabotage of our state’s ability to function.

The left-wing parties wish to pursue at the Federal level what their friends in the parties have begun in the Berlin Senate. In Berlin, police officers themselves must now prove not to have initiated the discrimination for which they have been reproached. The destructive consequences of this reversal of the burden of proof are already evident: Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg want to suspend the support response [Unterstützungseinsätze] in Berlin.  

            Vice President Hans-Peter Friedrich: Herr colleague, will you allow an 

            interim question?

Not now. The police union in Nordrhein-Westphalen, closely connected with the Berlin government parties, demands no more police be sent to Berlin. Even Interior Minister Seehofer has announced a halt to the Federal police Unterstützungseinsätze in Berlin so as to avoid a wave of complaints. This reversal of the burden of proof, let it be clearly and distinctly said, is an unreasonable and unbearable imposition upon our state of law and the police and must be done away with as quickly as possible.

The SPD, Greens and Linke wish to impede effective police work so that their clientele can develop, as unhindered as possible, their destructive, anti-state activities.

            André Hahn (Linke): What nonsense!

This security policy madness must be resolutely opposed by every convinced democrat because we have no racism problem in the police but we do have a left-wing extremism problem in the German Bundestag! SPD chief Saskia Esken recently and openly declared her sympathy for the Antifa, thus for that left-wing extremist group which is responsible for massive attacks upon our police officers. Frau Esken also believes she can identify latent racism in the ranks of the security forces in Germany.

For quick, political profit, you do not shrink from injuring the outstanding reputation of our police. Yet that – it is absolutely clear to me – will hasten the continuing collapse of the SPD, since the citizens in Germany will no longer tolerate these persistent, unsubstantiated imputations of racism.

The truth is, the police are not the perpetrators but the victims of violence. In Germany, the state prosecutors offices investigate each year 2,000 cases of illegal infractions by police officers and less than one percent result in a conviction. That is not because our judiciary might be prejudiced, that is because the accusations in almost all cases turn out to be unfounded. Yet – colleague Middelberg has already mentioned this – each year, 38,000 police officers will be victims of acts of violence, and the trend is increasing. Finally effectively fight the yearly increasing violence against the police and response forces, instead of making common cause with the Antifa enemies of the police.

And the CDU  and CSU – I unfortunately cannot now spare you – are allowing the public service and thereby our police to be placed under a general suspicion. Under the overall control of the Interior Minister, the Federal Office for the Defense of the Constitution has installed a so-called “Center for the Clarification of Right-wing Extremist Agitation in the Public Service” [Zentralstelle zur Aufklärung rechtsextremistischer Umtriebe im öffentlichen Dienst]. The concept of “agitation” alone is a matter fit for debate. Yet he who installs such an office introduces the possibility of going beyond reference to a single instance of racism and right-wing extremism to that there could in fact be a structural problem in the German public service. You thereby damage the reputation of the German police and all the public service. That once again shows how Green in the meantime even the CSU has become. Therefore: Put an end to this cloud of suspicion against the public service! This center is to be immediately done away with!

…Yet so long as enemies of the state in the Berlin Senate

            André Hahn (Linke): Who are here in the Bundestag!

decide over the working conditions of the police, and so long as left-wing extremists, with the support of the Union, nominate constitutional judges in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, so the fish stinks from the head. I can therefore only appeal to the colleagues of the Union: Stop this appeasement! The fact is and remains: The Linke, Greens and Reds are and remain the political enemies of our police.

As a police officer and a politician, I appeal to the SPD, Green and Linke delegations: Stop igniting and further heating up an anti-police state of mind. You thereby endanger the state monopoly of force. Show that you will not tolerate agitation against our police. Condemn with complete clarity the language of hate with which the leftist journalists instigate violence against police officers.

In the “taz”, an author could,

            Konstantin Kuhle (FDP): Naturally she could.

on June 15, ascribe to our police an “authoritarian personality” and a “fascist mind-set” and in de-humanizing terms defame the colleagues as “trash”.

            Marianne Schieder (SPD): That you could generally read.

This language we recognize as coming almost exclusively from the followers of the extremist left Antifa. All honest and convinced democrats must clearly and effectively condemn such unacceptable agitation against our police. Who even only tolerates the charge has disqualified himself from being taken seriously as a political factor in our country.

            Vice President Hans-Peter Friedrich: Herr colleague, please come to an end.

I come to a conclusion. The AfD clearly and distinctly stands behind our police. Certainly in times when are seen to be presented unjustifiable insinuations of racism and right-wing extremism, it is important to send a signal of backing and support to our police. Our police are neither racists nor right-wing extremists and therefore all the motions are to be consequently rejected.

[Translated by Todd Martin]

Alice Weidel, June 18, 2020, German Presidency of EU Council

Alice Weidel

German Presidency of EU Council

German Bundestag, June 18, 2020, Plenarprotokoll 19/166, pp. 20642-20643

[Alice Weidel is a chairman of the Alternative für Deutschland delegation in the German Bundestag as well as AfD chairman in the western German state of Baden-Württemberg.]

Right honorable Herr President. Right honorable ladies and gentlemen.

It is a pity, Frau Merkel, to again miss an opportunity to tell the citizens the plain truth concerning the enormous increase in the financial burden which is to come to our country.

Of that, is first – occurring at the beginning of German council presidency – the impudent demand of the EU Commission to permit an increase of more than 40 percent in the German EU contribution. That alone means around 13 billion more euros per year. Instead of correspondingly cutting the EU budget following the exit of Great Britain, the German taxpayer shall step into the breach, ja, even over-compensate.

Second: The ECB’s pandemic loan purchase program, after just two weeks, was affixed at the astronomical sum of 1,350 billion euros. The pretext of the Corona crisis must be made to pay for the almost unlimited, illegal state financing by means of the monetary printing presses. The guarantor in the final instance is the German taxpayer who, what’s more, will be expropriated by the zero interest rate policy. And that without a word from you. I ask myself, Have you really not heard the warning shot from Karlsruhe? We have. And the AfD delegation will bring suit.

Third: The so-called Green Deal; you simply mentioned that Commission President von der Leyen is juggling with at least 1 trillion euros which she wants to squander on the green, CO₂-neutral pipe dreams. Who will actually pay for that?

Fourth: The so-called Reconstruction Funds of 750 billion euros. Germany alone guarantees at least 135 billion. Again, the Corona crisis serves as pretext to break the taboo of the mutualization of state debts. Already in Paris, Madrid and Rome, new expenditure programs are eagerly being planned. The German citizen, who now works longer, pays higher taxes and has smaller pension and private assets than the citizens of the countries receiving these transfers, must in contrast prepare himself for the increased charges.

You have agreed to all of these liability risks and transfers of billions, Frau Chancellor, even though we in this country have enough of our own problems to solve and for which we urgently need our money.

            Ulli Nissen (SPD): Always only thinking of yourself!

We are no longer a rich country. The infrastructure crumbles. The education system is crashing. In digitalization matters, we are in deep decline. The social security system is stuck in the demographic double trap of an aging population and the immigration of the unqualified into our social system.

            Ulli Nissen (SPD): You are the unqualified!

Then comes the economic damage of the Corona crisis which day by day becomes greater. We today already have over 7 million part-time workers. That is ten times more than at the height of the financial crisis in February 2009.
           
           Ulli Nissen (SPD): Better than unemployment.

Our country is threatened by a never before known wave of unemployment and business bankruptcy. The Mittelstand grows poor. We will in no way come out of this crisis with debt-financed expenditure programs. No, just the opposite: By that way, you heighten the crisis even more!

In this situation, we do not have billions to give away; we must help ourselves. Completely end the lockdown and the Corona limitations under the prevention regulations – thereby will the Mittelstand get back on its feet.

Second: Reduce taxes and duties substantially and for the long term so that the employees and the self-employed again have some air to breathe. And third and before all: No to new transfers of billions and liability risks by which the wealth of the German people will be pawned for the euro rescue and a transfer union. Please act in the interest of this country and its citizens, Frau Chancellor,

            Ulli Nissen (SPD): It is not better, how you want it!

and no longer hide yourself behind phrase-mongering loaded with ideology as you have done here in your speech today. A great pity, this missed opportunity.

Ulli Nissen (SPD): So painful! Herr Gauland fell asleep at the start of your speech! Super!

[Translated by Todd Martin]

             

Leif-Erik Holm, June 17, 2020, Memorial, June 17, 1953

Leif-Erik Holm

Memorial, June 17, 1953

German Bundestag, June 17, 2020, Plenarprotokoll 19/165, p. 20557

[Leif-Erik Holm is an Alternative für Deutschland Bundestag member from the eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern where he is also the AfD state chairman. He is a radio moderator and here participates in the Bundestag’s commemoration of the rising against communist rule in East Germany in 1953.]

Right honorable citizens. Herr President. Ladies and gentlemen.

June 17, 1953, is and remains as important day in our history because it shows us citizens that we can influence the course of things. And if the rising was then bloodily put down, it was nevertheless the foundation stone for the later peaceful revolution. We can only bow before the brave ones of that time.

Yet what do we learn from this day? June 17 shows that socialism always proceeds along with the rule of force. It functions only with coercion because the people have no desire to let themselves be re-educated by a politburo but want their own lives. Socialism has never worked and never will work.

Yet can we be sure that it will not be attempted again? No, we cannot. The old parties’ cuddling with the re-named SED must horrify anyone who values freedom. The Union today may even celebrate fraternization with the SED with the motto “Once a block party, always a block party”. It cannot be otherwise explained how you, dear colleagues of the CDU, have assisted into the highest judicial office as constitutional judge a concrete communist in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.   

Let alone that Frau Borchardt has not the least qualification for the judicial office, she is a co-founder of the Anti-Capitalist Left which has been classified as left-wing extremist and which adheres to a revolutionary communist world-view. Frau Borchardt has never distanced herself from that. Just the opposite: To this day, she relativizes the many deaths at the Wall. During a memorial minute for the victims in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern legislature, she ostentatiously remained seated. The victims cannot be much worse mocked.

And what is most perfidious: If the newspaper reports are right, this woman as a mayor in the DDR extorted refugees shortly before their departure. How can such a woman be elected as a constitutional judge? I certainly expect nothing other from all the left-wing parties. But that the CDU assisted into office such a person is truly remarkable. To that, I can only say: He who leaves the defense of the constitution to a judge who obviously has problems with the constitution, makes the goat the gardener and he himself thereby becomes a hazard for democracy.

Besides, this election transpired in the home CDU association of the chancellor. Where properly is the call from Frau Merkel that it must be rescinded? Then she was quick on the draw. This time we hear nothing, and that is indicative of the CDU’s situation. This party busies itself as the stirrup holder for the extreme left. The worst is, among you there is no remonstrance against that. That shows the whole, small potatoes limit of your gang.   

The Association of the Victims of the Communist Rule of Force has found the right word for this situation in the CDU: Shame. The citizens who in 1953 and 1989 went out into the street to oppose the communist regime will not forget this total capitulation to the children of the SED. The CDU has thereby betrayed the inheritance of the reunification and the inheritance of the brave men of June 17.  

[Translated by Todd Martin]