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Freedom for Gerhard Bogelein
On May 18, 1992, the 22nd tribunal of the Provincial Court in Bamburg, Germany, condemned Gerhard Bögelein to life in prison without parole; he is 69 years old. The judge's reason: the murder, in 1947, of a former judge of the Nazi army.
This sentence is scandalous for various reasons:
Gerhard Bögelein was an active combatant and militant in the resistance against German fascism. He was a draft resistor, deserter and joined the Red Army where he continued fighting against fascism.
Between 1943 and 1945 the assassinated Nazi judge signed between 120 and 170 death sentences and even in 1947 was a committed Nazi.
Gerhard's trial was based on investigations and questioning of witnesses which were conducted in the early 1950's by a former judge of the Nazi Peoples' Tribunal.
Almost all of the prosecution's witnesses were unrepentant Nazis.
Gerhard denies committing the assassination.
Until the reunification of the two Germanies, Gerhard Bögelein was a citizen of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany); shortly after which he was arrested and forcibly transferred to a prison in Hamburg despite being very ill and not being in sufficient health to withstand imprisonment.
From the arrest and imprisonment of Gerhard Bögelein in December 1990, to the prosecution and sentence against the elderly anti-fascist, are blatant signs of a continuing persecution of the anti-fascist resistance against the Nazi regime. The trial is an example of the falsification of history on the part of the German Federal Republic (the former West Germany) which seeks to convert Nazi criminals into victims and the people who actively resisted fascism into criminals.
We are indignant and scared by this sentence and we make a call on all true democrats and anti-fascists here and outside Germany to intervene in favor of Gerhard Bögelein's immediate release.
Please send letter and petitions to: Prozessgruppe Kielhorn/Bögelein, c/o Projecktgruppe for die vergessen opferdes NS-regimes, Lindenallee 54, W-2000 Hamburg 20, Germany
So far more than 1000 people, groups, and organizations have signed this resolution.
This sentence is scandalous for various reasons:
Gerhard Bögelein was an active combatant and militant in the resistance against German fascism. He was a draft resistor, deserter and joined the Red Army where he continued fighting against fascism.
Between 1943 and 1945 the assassinated Nazi judge signed between 120 and 170 death sentences and even in 1947 was a committed Nazi.
Gerhard's trial was based on investigations and questioning of witnesses which were conducted in the early 1950's by a former judge of the Nazi Peoples' Tribunal.
Almost all of the prosecution's witnesses were unrepentant Nazis.
Gerhard denies committing the assassination.
Until the reunification of the two Germanies, Gerhard Bögelein was a citizen of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany); shortly after which he was arrested and forcibly transferred to a prison in Hamburg despite being very ill and not being in sufficient health to withstand imprisonment.
From the arrest and imprisonment of Gerhard Bögelein in December 1990, to the prosecution and sentence against the elderly anti-fascist, are blatant signs of a continuing persecution of the anti-fascist resistance against the Nazi regime. The trial is an example of the falsification of history on the part of the German Federal Republic (the former West Germany) which seeks to convert Nazi criminals into victims and the people who actively resisted fascism into criminals.
We are indignant and scared by this sentence and we make a call on all true democrats and anti-fascists here and outside Germany to intervene in favor of Gerhard Bögelein's immediate release.
Please send letter and petitions to: Prozessgruppe Kielhorn/Bögelein, c/o Projecktgruppe for die vergessen opferdes NS-regimes, Lindenallee 54, W-2000 Hamburg 20, Germany
So far more than 1000 people, groups, and organizations have signed this resolution.
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