Christian Ude stands on stage and shouts “the teaching in this place” into the crowd: “Be vigilant!” It is the evening of November 9th, 100 years ago, the Hitler Putsch was stopped by the police at this place, in front of the Feldherrnhalle. A rally against hatred, agitation and anti-Semitism is now taking place here, organized by the “Munich is colorful” association.
“With a certain amount of support,” the former mayor of the SPD adds to his teaching: “Finally become vigilant! You have to take note of certain election results and take action today.” The applause is strong, everyone knows that he means the AfD, which needs to be fought democratically. You have to get involved at the right time, says Ude, and not complain afterwards, when it’s too late, that unfortunately there’s nothing more you can do. “Democracy needs strong democrats.”
Munich’s former mayor Christian Ude says you have to get involved at the right time – not when it’s too late.
(Photo: Florian Peljak)
Estimates vary as to how many Democrats will take to the streets on this very special evening of reflection, which will also commemorate the Kristallnacht pogrom that started in Munich 85 years ago. The police say: 700. On the other hand, Ude estimates from the stage: “thousands”.
SZ author Heribert Prantl also dedicated his speech to the AfD. He calls for a ban on the right-wing party. Loud applause again. “The fundamental rights are not there to be used to combat fundamental rights,” he says. “Democracy must not place itself in the hands of its destroyers.” That’s why he also calls for a “ban on political action” for the “secret party leader of the AfD”, Björn Höcke.
And he advocates depriving the leading AfD members in Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt of the right to vote and to stand for election. The instrument for this is Article 18 of the Basic Law: Anyone who uses freedom of expression and other fundamental rights to fight against the free, democratic basic order forfeits these fundamental rights. “It’s high time,” shouts Prantl, “to remove rust from these instruments.”
Prime Minister Markus Söder remembers the state police officers killed in the Hitler Putsch 100 years ago.
(Photo: Florian Peljak)
The “never again” has become “more fragile,” says Prime Minister Söder
On that afternoon, the focus is on four men whose names hardly anyone knows. Friedrich Fink, Nikolaus Hollweg, Max Schoberth, Rudolf Schraut. The leadership of the Free State of Bavaria remembers the four state police officers who, together with colleagues, stood in the way of the putschists around Adolf Hitler and were killed in the process. Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) also used the small memorial service to appeal to all democrats to oppose the right-wing extremists. “No matter how big the crowd becomes, no matter how radicalism increases, we can fend it off if we stand together.”
“Never again” is the credo of the Federal Republic, but it has “become more fragile” recently. Never again: People used to say this in the belief that everyone had learned from history and that no one would relativize anything. And today? “The truth is,” says Söder, “it happens.” Quiet at first, but getting louder and more aggressive. Söder also speaks of the AfD: Anyone who puts the past into perspective “has plans for the future,” he says. “Let’s not let it happen.”