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German Activist Against ‘Islamization’ Posed as Hitler for Facebook Photo German Activist Against ‘Islamization’ Posed as Hitler for Facebook Photo
(about 3 hours later)
A leading figure in a German protest movement against the supposed “Islamization” of Europe by Muslim immigrants stepped down Wednesday after the German tabloid Bild reported on its front page that he had posed as Adolf Hitler for a photograph posted on Facebook in September.A leading figure in a German protest movement against the supposed “Islamization” of Europe by Muslim immigrants stepped down Wednesday after the German tabloid Bild reported on its front page that he had posed as Adolf Hitler for a photograph posted on Facebook in September.
The activist, Lutz Bachmann, 41, helped found an organization called Pegida, a German acronym for a name that translates roughly as Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West. The group has held weekly rallies in Dresden that attract up to 25,000 demonstrators. Opponents of the protest movement have derided its leaders as racists and neo-Nazis.The activist, Lutz Bachmann, 41, helped found an organization called Pegida, a German acronym for a name that translates roughly as Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West. The group has held weekly rallies in Dresden that attract up to 25,000 demonstrators. Opponents of the protest movement have derided its leaders as racists and neo-Nazis.
“The wolf has taken off his sheepskin,” Ulla Jelpke, a leftist member of the German Parliament, told the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine. No one who takes part in Pegida’s rallies, she added, can now say that they were unaware of their “racist” undercurrent.“The wolf has taken off his sheepskin,” Ulla Jelpke, a leftist member of the German Parliament, told the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine. No one who takes part in Pegida’s rallies, she added, can now say that they were unaware of their “racist” undercurrent.
Mr. Bachmann acknowledged to Bild that he had posted the image, along with the caption “He’s Back.” But he argued that it was merely a joke, inspired by the success of a satirical novel about Hitler returning to modern Germany, “Look Who’s Back.”Mr. Bachmann acknowledged to Bild that he had posted the image, along with the caption “He’s Back.” But he argued that it was merely a joke, inspired by the success of a satirical novel about Hitler returning to modern Germany, “Look Who’s Back.”
Even so, a spokeswoman for Pegida, Kathrin Oertel, told news agencies late on Wednesday that Mr. Bachmann would step down from his leadership role in the movement as a result of the controversy over the image.Even so, a spokeswoman for Pegida, Kathrin Oertel, told news agencies late on Wednesday that Mr. Bachmann would step down from his leadership role in the movement as a result of the controversy over the image.
This week’s protest in Dresden was called off after the police imposed a 24-hour ban on rallies. The police said that threats to kill Mr. Bachmann had been posted on social networks, including an Arabic-language tweet denouncing his group as “an enemy of Islam.”This week’s protest in Dresden was called off after the police imposed a 24-hour ban on rallies. The police said that threats to kill Mr. Bachmann had been posted on social networks, including an Arabic-language tweet denouncing his group as “an enemy of Islam.”
The image of Mr. Bachmann posing as Hitler was spotted by a reader of the Morgenpost newspaper in Dresden, along with screenshots of earlier Facebook updates in which Mr. Bachmann appeared to praise the Ku Klux Klan and referred to immigrants as “cattle,” “brutes” and “trash.”The image of Mr. Bachmann posing as Hitler was spotted by a reader of the Morgenpost newspaper in Dresden, along with screenshots of earlier Facebook updates in which Mr. Bachmann appeared to praise the Ku Klux Klan and referred to immigrants as “cattle,” “brutes” and “trash.”
The Local, an English-language website in Germany, reported that Mr. Bachmann then changed his profile picture on the social network to an image of Charlie Chaplin from the 1940 film “The Great Dictator,” in which Mr. Chaplin lampoons a leader who dresses and behaves very like the Nazi leader. Mr. Lutz added the words, “He’s allowed to do satire ... not Lutz.” The Local, an English-language website in Germany, reported that Mr. Bachmann then changed his profile picture on the social network to an image of Charlie Chaplin from the 1940 film “The Great Dictator,” in which the actor lampooned the Nazi leader. Mr. Lutz added the words, “He’s allowed to do satire ... not Lutz.”
Until recently Mr. Lutz was a little-known activist who reportedly has criminal convictions for burglary, driving drunk or without a license, and dealing cocaine. Now he is under police protection because of the threats, but under German law could face prosecution himself for hate speech.Until recently Mr. Lutz was a little-known activist who reportedly has criminal convictions for burglary, driving drunk or without a license, and dealing cocaine. Now he is under police protection because of the threats, but under German law could face prosecution himself for hate speech.
Research carried out by the Ipsos MORI polling firm last year suggested that fears about the growing influence of Islam in Europe stemming from immigration appeared to be based, in part, on widespread “misperceptions” about how many Muslims now live in European countries.Research carried out by the Ipsos MORI polling firm last year suggested that fears about the growing influence of Islam in Europe stemming from immigration appeared to be based, in part, on widespread “misperceptions” about how many Muslims now live in European countries.
While just 6 percent of Germany’s residents are Muslims, the pollsters found, German respondents guessed that the figure was much higher, at 19 percent. Similarly inflated estimates were discovered across Europe, as The Economist noted.While just 6 percent of Germany’s residents are Muslims, the pollsters found, German respondents guessed that the figure was much higher, at 19 percent. Similarly inflated estimates were discovered across Europe, as The Economist noted.