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| German spy chief loses out on government role after firebrand speech | German spy chief loses out on government role after firebrand speech |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Germany’s outgoing domestic intelligence chief has been denied a promised post in the interior ministry after he delivered a firebrand speech repeating claims video footage showing far-right protesters chasing down migrants in Chemnitz this summer was fake. | Germany’s outgoing domestic intelligence chief has been denied a promised post in the interior ministry after he delivered a firebrand speech repeating claims video footage showing far-right protesters chasing down migrants in Chemnitz this summer was fake. |
| Hans-Georg Maaßen had been promised a post as a special adviser in the interior ministry after he was removed as head of the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) in September. | Hans-Georg Maaßen had been promised a post as a special adviser in the interior ministry after he was removed as head of the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) in September. |
| Instead, he will be retired from all offices with immediate effect, the interior minister, Horst Seehofer, said in a statement on Monday afternoon. | Instead, he will be retired from all offices with immediate effect, the interior minister, Horst Seehofer, said in a statement on Monday afternoon. |
| The reason for the decision, said Seehofer, was “unacceptable” comments Maaßen made during a farewell speech in Warsaw in mid-October to fellow European intelligence chiefs that were then posted on the BfV intranet. | The reason for the decision, said Seehofer, was “unacceptable” comments Maaßen made during a farewell speech in Warsaw in mid-October to fellow European intelligence chiefs that were then posted on the BfV intranet. |
| In the speech, the text of which was published in the German press on Monday, Maaßen repeated and expanded on his earlier claim that media had “made up” reports of far-right gangs “hunting” foreigners during unrest in the eastern German city of Chemnitz in August. | In the speech, the text of which was published in the German press on Monday, Maaßen repeated and expanded on his earlier claim that media had “made up” reports of far-right gangs “hunting” foreigners during unrest in the eastern German city of Chemnitz in August. |
| “These ‘hunts’ never happened, according to the findings of the local police, state prosecutor, local press, the state premier and my colleagues,” Maaßen told his European peers in Warsaw on 18 October. “They were made up.” | “These ‘hunts’ never happened, according to the findings of the local police, state prosecutor, local press, the state premier and my colleagues,” Maaßen told his European peers in Warsaw on 18 October. “They were made up.” |
| German security chief called to explain claims about far-right videos | German security chief called to explain claims about far-right videos |
| He continued: “I’ve experienced a lot of German media manipulation and Russian disinformation. But that politicians and media make up ‘hunts,’ or at least spread this false information without checking it, was for me a new quality of false reporting in Germany.” | He continued: “I’ve experienced a lot of German media manipulation and Russian disinformation. But that politicians and media make up ‘hunts,’ or at least spread this false information without checking it, was for me a new quality of false reporting in Germany.” |
| Maaßen’s initial claim that the videos were fake cost him his job as intelligence chief in a spat that nearly brought down Angela Merkel’s coalition government in September. In an interview with the Bild newspaper, Maaßen directly contradicted Merkel’s spokesman, who had used the word Hetzjagd, or “hunt”, to describe attacks on migrants in Chemnitz. | Maaßen’s initial claim that the videos were fake cost him his job as intelligence chief in a spat that nearly brought down Angela Merkel’s coalition government in September. In an interview with the Bild newspaper, Maaßen directly contradicted Merkel’s spokesman, who had used the word Hetzjagd, or “hunt”, to describe attacks on migrants in Chemnitz. |
| His comments followed weeks of far-right unrest in the eastern city in August in which multiple witnesses reported and filmed crowds chanting xenophobic slogans, gang aggression and illegal Nazi salutes, sparking outrage far beyond German borders. | His comments followed weeks of far-right unrest in the eastern city in August in which multiple witnesses reported and filmed crowds chanting xenophobic slogans, gang aggression and illegal Nazi salutes, sparking outrage far beyond German borders. |
| Maaßen’s attempt to downplay the incidents had fuelled suspicion of far-right sympathies within the German establishment. Maaßen’s predecessor, Heinz Fromm, stepped down after reports went missing into the neo-Nazi terrorist cell, the National Socialist Underground, that murdered 10 people, mostly immigrants. Earlier this year, a whistleblower former member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) wrote in her book that Maaßen helped the former party leader Frauke Petry with advice, a claim he disputes. | Maaßen’s attempt to downplay the incidents had fuelled suspicion of far-right sympathies within the German establishment. Maaßen’s predecessor, Heinz Fromm, stepped down after reports went missing into the neo-Nazi terrorist cell, the National Socialist Underground, that murdered 10 people, mostly immigrants. Earlier this year, a whistleblower former member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) wrote in her book that Maaßen helped the former party leader Frauke Petry with advice, a claim he disputes. |
| At the time Maaßen first claimed the video was fake, the coalition partners were split over the issue. Seehofer, who heads the Bavarian-based Christian Social Union (CSU), had backed the intelligence chief, while the Social Democrats (SPD) wanted him gone. In a face-saving compromise, Seehofer offered Maaßen a job in the interior ministry. | At the time Maaßen first claimed the video was fake, the coalition partners were split over the issue. Seehofer, who heads the Bavarian-based Christian Social Union (CSU), had backed the intelligence chief, while the Social Democrats (SPD) wanted him gone. In a face-saving compromise, Seehofer offered Maaßen a job in the interior ministry. |
| In his farewell speech in October, Maaßen told colleagues he had been chased out of office by “leftist radical elements in the SPD” who wanted to bring down the coalition government. He went on to describe himself as a known critic of “an idealistic, naive and left-wing policy towards foreigners and security”. | In his farewell speech in October, Maaßen told colleagues he had been chased out of office by “leftist radical elements in the SPD” who wanted to bring down the coalition government. He went on to describe himself as a known critic of “an idealistic, naive and left-wing policy towards foreigners and security”. |
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