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Press Information published by the International Auschwitz Committee

10.11.2020

Difficult to understand: Pegida demonstration on 9 November

 
 
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Commenting in Berlin on the Pegida* demonstration on 9 November 2020 in Dresden, Christoph Heubner, Executive Vice President of the International Auschwitz Committee said:

“The fact that the Pegida movement once again managed to gain public attention on 9 November, and spread Nazi sentiments amongst the general public, is an unbearable and inacceptable affront to Holocaust survivors, especially in view of the horrific significance of that date to them.

But what is equally difficult to understand is the lacking sense of remembrance and the utter thoughtlessness on the part of the municipal authorities who could have been long since well-prepared for this situation. Yet, through their inaction they again enabled the Pegida followers to mount their activities. Exactly the same situation arose in Dresden on 9 November 2015.

In the year 2020 there could at least have been some foresighted planning in place to prevent this disgraceful situation in good time. The only positive aspect of today’s events was, according to press reports, the reduced presence of around one thousand participants. In 2015 between seven and ten thousand participants took part on 9 November 2020.

It can only be hoped that many of the one-time Pegida demonstrators have distanced themselves from the flag-waving movement that has long since landed in the camps of the Neo-Nazis and right-wing extremists.”


*Pegida, stands for Patriotische Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the Occident). It is opposed to Islam and foreigners. A nationalistic, racist and far-right populist organization.

 
 
 

For further Information

Christoph Heubner

Executive Vice President
International Auschwitz Committee
Phone ++ 49 (0)30 26 39 26 81