The fight against war and annexation in pictures - 223kB - pdf-file

The Annexation of the GDR 

Why do we say annexation of the GDR and not unification or reunification? If the good aspects of the GDR and the good aspects of the FRG had joined it would have been a unification. But: what is good about the FRG? Everything that happened in Germany in 1989 was anything but a unification, it was something completely different. 

The whole country, industry, trade, and all cultural institutions fell to the administration of the Treuhandanstalt (trust company) and became property of the FRG. How did the FRG get the right to do so? There was no right to do so for the FRG. Illegally, the GDR was annexed and incorporated by the FRG. And here we are, right in the middle of a definition of the term „annexation“. 

This annexation is a cheat, and many people in the former GDR are deceiving themselves with it. Where is the property of the GDR, the property of the people of the GDR, where did it go? In 1989, the GDR had created goods worth 1,020 billion DM. That is around 60,000 DM per capita. Where is this property, that we, our parents, grandparents, and millions of people have worked to build in 40 years? The answer is: All these goods have been relocated and trafficked into the FRG, and the rest was destroyed. This social property worth 1.2 trillion DM was wielded out of the ashes and ruins of the Second World War in tens of years of hard work; afterwards it fell into the hands of German imperialism, it was gone within a few years: dumped, squandered, destroyed. Here is one example to make the dimensions we are talking about more obvious: The people‘s collective chemical plant in the town of Pisteritz. In the GDR ten thousands of workers worked there; it was a gigantic factory comprising hundreds of square kilometers, and it had the size of a small town. The naivety and incompetence of many economic leaders in the GDR as well as in the Treuhandanstalt left our property in the hands of big and small economic criminals of the FRG. And all this was legally protected by the Treuhand as an instrument of power for the FRG.  

However, this enormous selling-off cannot be explained by naivety and incompetence only. There was a political order. It came from the FRG and it read: enrichment of the FRG‘s capitalist system and complete destruction of competition and rivals in the GDR. Proof to this is the big increase of profits in all sectors of the FRG‘s economy in the first years after the annexation. Of course, not to be forgotten is the anger and the desire for revenge German imperialism had towards the other German state, the GDR. Evidence to this is a victor‘s justice against the ministers and officials of the GDR. Proof to this is the way the socialism in the GDR was destroyed and defamed. Evidence to this is the way the GDR‘s antifascism was being defamed. There are only few streets and places left that were not re-named.

But what is today‘s situation of the people of the GDR?

Behind the closing of factories and collectives, behind the splitting up of the agricultural collectives (LPGs), there are the millions of fates of the workers and their families. A wave of misery and poverty is hitting the Eastern Germany. And it will grow in the next few years. Massive reduction of social security, mass unemployment, always thinking fearfully of the next day, or giving up in the face of the catastrophe. Why go to school when there is no apprenticeship available afterwards? Why do an apprenticeship when there is no job available after it? And the unemployment benefits are given to you like a charity, and it is too little to live off, too much to die. People leave the GDR in the thousands. Not because there are not enough jobs, but because there are no jobs left at all. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the farthest northern state of the five East German states, there are more than 5,000 young people leaving their homes every year. This is nothing but a new mass migration of a whole generation. The fascists make use of the youth‘s social misery. They dominate the streets and organize their recruits for the next war.

What is the GDR today? Has it become a colony for the FRG?

The term colony means that of a certain area the goods and raw materials are being extracted and transferred to the mother country. This is not the case for the GDR. The GDR has not become a colony of the FRG. It looks more like a dry-squeezed orange. Everything has been carried away. And the rest, the peel, thrown away while the people rot. Not without reason, the former GDR is being called one of the poorest regions in Europe.
On the one hand, the GDR‘s territory is a burden for the FRG because it has to feed the workers and the youth instead of being fed by them. On the other hand, it is a market to sell products and goods from the FRG. It is also of military importance as a strategic starting position for the coming war for the acquisition of Eastern Europe. The GDR also provides the FRG with cheap human material for the dirtiest work of all kinds. It has become a laboratory where you can watch in real time how much social decay the Germans can take and still keep quiet. Many people in the FRG say that this annexation had been what the people of the GDR wanted. We know of nobody who had been in the streets in 1989 shouting: I want to be unemployed! I want to march into the next war!
Looking back and also looking to the future we say that the annexation of the GDR is not a finalized matter, it is a process still in progress. In the same way, we do not put up with the German war against Yugoslavia. Now that German troops are stationed in Kosovo, this would be like saying: O.K., the war is over, and the soldiers stay over there. No! We demand the withdrawal of all German troops!
The annexation of the GDR is not finished either. It is the beginning of an imperialist smouldering fire. It shows imperialism‘s most obvious objective: expansion of power to get the maximum profit. The people pay with impoverishment and ruin.

And last but not least, we can give an answer to all those who ask us with surprise: So you in the FDJ want to have the GDR back? No, is the answer. Nobody wants their stolen car back when it is a heap of scrap metal after the thief has damaged it completely.

We want a new car, we want a new GDR, and we want reparations for the damage done.

Property of the GDR robbed by the FRG (indebtedness, foreign and internal)

The economic value of the GDR in 1989. The basis of goods, value, and products of the productive sector alone, calculated for the year 1988: 1,200 billion Marks (GDR Marks)

This value consists of the following sectors:

After the Currency Union that was conducted after the annexation, dealing two GDR-Marks for one FRG-Mark, this is worth: 600 billion D-Marks (FRG Marks)

This calculation only adds up the productive sectors, not estate. This sector is equivalent to an estimated 400 billion D-Marks. The property of the National People‘s Army (NVA) is 20 billion D-Marks.

So the value adds up to:

General facts about the work and methods of the Treuhandanstalt.

At the 12th of December 1990, Mr. Wolfgang Ullmann proposed the foundation of a Treuhandanstalt. Following the presented and documented estimation of values of the GDR - that is productive value of 1,02 Trillion Mark, added up per capita of the population is for 16 million citizens 100 000 D-Mark for each inhabitant of the GDR. This property had to be administrated and looked after by Treuhandanstalt. And indeed, it did „look after“ the money: the results and the process of the work of the Treuhandanstalt are a picture of disaster and liquidation. Also it shows a great transfer of  the property of the GDR to non-GDR-citizens. In parts, the Treuhand conducted its work in an illegal and criminal way. In the years of 1991 and 1992 alone, there is a documented economically criminal damage of 3 billion D-Mark that can be deducted directly to the faults of Treuhand and its partners. At the end of the productive work of Treuhand there was a mountain of debts left: all in all 275 billion D-Mark debts were left from the property of the GDR.This is a total deficite of  1295 billion D-Mark. This means that the work and method of the Treuhand sums up for the greatest destruction of  society´s havings in times of peace that was ever heard of. The complete take-over of the coreents of the factories and the Combinates of the GDR, therefore the take-over of the supply for its 16 million inhabitants by the German Imperialism was before only possible by the means of successful warfare and the conquering of colonies.

95 percent of the monetary amount to be administrated by Treuhand was transferred to FRG banks, estate agents and rich FRG-citizens. The amount of goods administrated is:

• 8500 Combinates and Factories

• 20 000 medium-sized and big shops and offices

• 7500 restaurants and tourist accommodations

• 900 Bookshops

• 1854 Pharmacies

• 3,68 Million Hectare agricultural and forestry grounds

In four years alone, the Treuhand dumped 31576 people´s-owned companies and transformed them to privately-owned capitalist companies or liquidated them immediately.

The purchase of big companies of the annexed GDR by FRG-Companies with one aim: to get the official support money of the FRG:

Example Warnow Shipyards:
bought by Kvaerner company for 1 million D-Mark, support money following the deal was 1,5 trillion D-Mark.

Example of the Factory for nitrogen chemistry in Pisteritz bought by the SKW Trostberg AG for one D-Mark, support money was 953 million D-Mark. Example of the Niles Factory for machine tools, bought for 50 000 D-Mark by Fritz Werner Werkzeugmaschinen AG, support money was 850 million D-Mark.

The workplaces that were kept in the productive core industry in comparison to some other former Socialist States:
Poland: 85 percent, Hungaria: 76,8 percent, CzechRepublic: 68 percent, annexed GDR 20 percent.

Ten years after the hostile take-over of the GDR by the FRG, the EU regards the territory of the GDR as one of the poorest regions. Only 65 percent of the average per- capita income of EU is reached. After the annexation there is a lack of more than 2,3 million jobs, this is a level of unemployment and misemployment of 42 percent, in the FRG it is 19,2 percent and falling, on the territory of the GDR it is staying the same. In the core industry, not even 20 percent of workplaces were kept.

Destruction, Take-over and Deformation of the cultural sector on the territory of the GDR.

The citizens of the GDR were used to being able to enjoy a great variety of cultural supply. The low prices to be paid for cultural events and activities led to the cultural sector of the GDR being very vivid and active. Especially the supply for the Youth was very wide:
18 118 Libraries, 2924 Theatres, 719 Museums and Exhibition Halls, 190 Music Schools, 848 Clubs of the State or in agricultural or industrial areas, 594 Youth Clubs led by the FDJ, 56 000 Libraries and Clubs of Workers or led by volunteers. So, the expenses of the GDR for the Cultural Sector rose year by year. In annual counted percent:
1975: 100;
1980: 117,5;
1985: 159;
1986: 176,3;

After the annexation, the main part and also the core part of these cultural institutions was closed. In the first few years, 10 200 were closed. The number of cinemas was only half the size. The FRG-annexionists destroyed 14 574 libraries in two years alone. The financial situation for the cultural institutions is and was a catastrophe, the survivors of the annexation in the cultural area are fighting to survive longer. Since 1995 no extra money is paid. The cultural sector is since then to be paid for by the so-called „New Regions “alone. But a closer look at the economic situation on the territory reveals that there is no money left for cultural activity of any sort. Extra money for the cultural sector of the GDR in million D-Mark.1991 900 million, 1992: 780 million, 1993: at first 350 million, after strong protests it grew to 650 million.

The Social System of the GDR before the annexation and the social situation of the GDR citizens after the annexation.

The Social System of the GDR was unique in the world regarding the benefits, the service and the quality. First of all there were subventions given and State ´s support money for all the important Social Sectors:

low and fixed costs for all the basic food and electricity, water, gas;

• low and fixed costs for public transportation;

• low and fixed housing and rent costs;

• low prices for all cultural activity and tourism;

• free care in Kindergardens, holiday camps and children ´s care institutions;

• free education;

• free medical care;

• free prophylaxis and vaccination;

• very low costs for food for workers (cantinas) and school children (Milk and food);

• full social security and sufficient pensions;

Comparison of the official unemployment rate in the GDR and the FRG during the recent months:

In the GDR, the inhabitants had one big PLUS: The right for a workplace. Every citizen of the GDR had the guaranteed right for a job! There was full employment for all inhabitants of the GDR! Unemployment, homelessness, poverty and living at the„minimum of existence “, these forms of social neglect were not existent in the GDR. After the annexation, all this became bitter reality also on the territory of the GDR.

The fight against war and annexation in pictures - 223kB - pdf-file

Some Pictures from actions - 96kB - pdf-file

Racist State Terror and Fascist Assaults,1990-2000

German imperialism as it is today quickly developed into one of the strongest imperialist great powers after its defeat in 1945.With the annexation of the GDR German imperialism took a huge step towards revising the results of its historic defeat in World War II. Thus it has succeeded in expanding its territory to the Polish border, without even signing a peace treaty -a treaty including all the legitimate claims of compensation and reparations. This success supports the demands for intensification of a revanchist propaganda and policy as a main basis for tying the working-class population to the war-mongering, expansionist policy of German imperialists, by systematic fanning the flames of nationalism and chauvinism.

What Nazis propagandize and do today is thus not opposed to the main objectives of German imperialism. At its core, it is the same program that the German imperialists will exercise mercilessly with the help of their state (especially the army and the police forces) if the implication of hegemonial interests demands to do so. It is the source of power for the increasing aggression and brutality with which the Nazis have been appearing since 1990. The strongest weapon for the advance of the Nazi movement in Germany is the correspondence regarding content of the central issues with the parliamentary parties: German chauvinism in theory and praxis; great power strategy and preparation of war against foreign countries; deportation and terror of deterrence against foreigners in Germany.

Even though the number of Nazi murders still super cedes the number of people without German passport killed by state terror, this does not change the fact that state terror is much more dangerous than the terror spread by German imperialism‘s useful infantry, more or less tolerated by German authorities. First of all, the laws and their application are steadily being tightened, and, second, the Nazis do not have the same possibilities as the state to make the minorities‘ life hell: To curtail these people‘s liberties day by day through racist special laws.6 00,000 people directly face the danger of deportation today. The fact that the number of murders of refugees dropped in the statistics at the end of the 1990s can be related to a couple of issues: First, government authorities now cover up racist assaults more often by denying the radical right background of the crimes even in the most obvious cases. Second, democratic forces which are prepared to document and publish these cases are on retreat in the FRG. And third, it is less necessary for the Nazis to do the dirty work for the state due to intensification of laws and increasing state terror. The dirty work is increasingly done by the state and its authorities themselves.

Anti-Semitism as a German peculiarity is necessary to apply German chauvinism ‘s continuity in its entirety: A people that is still full of anti-semitic sentiments will grant its state complete support for the final stroke concerning the question of compensation of slave laborers in Nazi Germany. This, in effect, also means the beginning of a final stroke for the reparation payments to the other peoples, and therefore for the responsibility for the last world war started by German imperialism. This final stroke is important in order to be able to prepare new wars.

The figures concerning Great Germany‘s everyday life speak for themselves: Almost 500 dead and thousands of injured in ten thousands of assaults. Germany is burning again.

Racism has only one purpose: If the population is prepared to act against “foreigners“ today it will be prepared to march against foreign countries tomorrow.

Nazi Assaults,1990-2000

Summary of attacks on refugee shelters, 1993-1995: Atleast 35 persons were killed, 119 suffered partly serious.

• 1996:
  At least 17 persons die because of Nazi assaults. In 109 attacks on refugee shelters 12 persons die, 10persons suffer partly serious injuries.

• 1997:
  At least 21 persons die because of Nazi assaults. In attacks on refugee shelters 4 refugees die, at least 121 persons suffered partly serious injuries.

• 1998:
  In the first half year of 1998 the Federal Criminal Police Office notes 1,336 anti-semitic and xenophobic criminal offences, in which 203 persons are injured. In attacks on refugee shelters at least 47 persons suffer partly serious injuries.

• 1999:
  Officially, 1,457 xenophobic and 574 anti-semitic criminal offences are noted. 327 persons are injured inthem. Officially, 11 homicide attempts are reported; 6persons die. In attacks on refugee shelters 3 refugees die, at least 65persons suffered partly serious injuries.

• 2000:
  At least 5 persons die in Nazi assaults. In attacks on refugee shelters at least 31 persons are injured.

Between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 2000, 54 persons die in attacks made on and fires laid in refugee shelters. 492 refugees suffer partly serious injuries.

State Terror Against Refugees,1993-2000

• 119 persons died on their way into the FRG or at itsborders.

• 89 persons died at the eastern borders of Germany.

• 283 refugees suffered partly serious injuries during crossing of the border.

• 61 persons were injured during crossing of the border through measures taken by the Federal Border Guard, 46 of them by dog bites.

• 92 persons killed themselves facing imminent deportation or died in an escape attempt.

• 45 persons died in deportation arrest.

• 310 refugees hurt themselves because of despair, before or as a protest against deportation, or survived seriously injured after a suicide attempt. 214 of them were in deportation arrest.

• 5 refugees died during the deportation process.

• 159 persons were injured during the deportation process through means of coercion or abuse.13 refugees died, deported into their home countries;

• 276 refugees were tortured or abused there.

• 46 persons vanished without trace after deportation.

• 10 persons died because of police brutality in the FRG, 145 were injured.

• 54 persons died in attacks on refugee shelters, 492 suffered partly serious injuries.

• 10 refugees died in racist assaults in the streets, 320 were injured.

• 293 refugees died because of measures taken by state authorities.

Anti-Semitism

1990, the year of the GDR‘s annexation by the FRG, two independently conducted studies of the American Jewish Committee and the Institute of Sociology at the University of Nuremberg respectively showed that the GDR‘s population did not know anti-semitism, while anti-semitic sentiments were widely spread in the FRG. It took 8 years until the GDR ‘s population came closer to the new masters in their country concerning this question: In 1998 a survey exposed that on GDR territory FRG-propaganda had by then entered the minds that had once enjoyed an excellent education-before the annexationists shut down and got rid of their schools, educational facilities, and plants.63% of the population sung the song of the final stroke concerning compensation for former slave laborers in Nazi Germany.17% of the Great German population thought that the Jews themselves were responsible for the persecution they suffered and still suffer.

In the first 9 months of 1995, all in all 752 anti-Semitic crimes were committed, as officially noted.
Between April and June 1996, there were 170 anti-Semitic criminal offences in Germany altogether.
In 1997, there were 976 officially reported anti-Semitic crimes.
In 1998,there were 991 anti-Semitic criminal offences, including 14 physical injuries. The number of attacks on Jewish institutions in Berlin increased by 20% in1998.
In 1999, 574 anti-Semitic criminal offences were noted.
In the 2nd quarter year of 2000, the Federal Criminal Police Office noted 157 antisemitically motivated criminal offences altogether, 47 more than in the same time period of 1999. Most of the anti-Semitic crimes (26) were reported in Bavaria.
According to a survey by the Moses-Mendelsohn-Center, the number of defilements of graves on Jewish cemetaries has more than doubled in the 1990s, compared to the 1970s and 1980s.

Facts about the FRG ‘s Racist Special Laws

Definition of  “German “: Generally defined by (blood) origin, only exceptionally defined by territorial principle. Until today the racial and political categories of the Nazis are a criterion for awarding the German nationality. All children born of potential late resettlers after 1992 in an eastern European country may themselves apply for resettlement until 2010, and thus also apply for a German passport. After 2010, parents may apply for their children (until the end of the first year of the life). There is no automatic procedure for the acquisition of the German nationality for foreigners.
2000: 7.2 million foreigners lived in Germany in the year 2000.
Asylum: Of 117,648 asylum seekers, 4,114 were recognized as having the right of asylum. Asylum seekers received a maximum of DM 80 per month as pocket money or shopping coupons of the same value. The number of beneficiaries in accordance with the service law for asylum seekers declined by 4% from 1994 to 1999. The net expenses were reduced from DM 5.44 billion to 3.95 billion in the same period. This equals a decline of approximately 27.5%, which means that for every person entitled to services the already barely sufficient support was reduced by one third.
European quotas of naturalization in comparison (1991): Germany 0.5% of resident foreigners. Switzerland 0.7%. Belgium 0.9%. Austria 2.2%. France 2.7%. GreatBritain 3.3%. Netherlands 4.1%. Sweden 5.6%.Persons of Turkish origin: in Germany 0.1% ,in Sweden 6%.
Labor: According to a survey of the Federal Institute of Labor, 21.4% of 4.8 million members of third states for disposition on the labor market were unemployed in the European Union in 1996. This is a much higher unemployment rate than for the respective nationals (10.5%) or citizens of the European Union (11.5%). In Germany, their unemployment rate (compared to German nationals it is twice as high) is even glossed over. Family members of foreigners who receive a work permit or may apply for a trading licence only after 4 years of residence, do not appear at all in statistics. (Intended) result: Creation of a low-wage job sector, which is supposed to be supplied for by migrants.

The Lübeck Arson Attack: An Example of State Racism

January 18, 1996. Lübeck, Hafenstraße 52. A refugee home goes up in flames.38 persons are injured; 10persons die. The 20 year old Lebanese Safwan Eid saves his and his family‘s lives by retreating to the roof. Because of a false alarm, the fire brigade are at the scene quickly. The police ID some juveniles who hangout close to the house. They are satisfied to get the skinhead‘s name - without asking for his ID.
The injured inhabitants of the house are brought to the hospital by bus. A voluntary paramedic takes care of them on the trip. Later, he tells another paramedic that Eid said: „We did it.“ Eid also allegedly tells him why: because of a dispute between the shelter ‘s  inhabitants. The dispute ‘s reason changes with each of the paramedic ‘s testimonies. Nevertheless, it is this testimony that leads to Safwan Eid‘s arrest.
The authorities locate the source of the fire on the 2ndflor. An outside attack is thus excluded as possibility. Eid allegedly poured gas in front of another inhabitant ‘s door, the gas then spilling down the stairs.
Many clues contradict this thesis: In front of the stairs on the 2nd floor no traces of gas were found. At the alleged spot no door exists. When the fire brigade arrive they detect fires at a couple of spots in the building. The inhabitants and bystanders confirm that the fire started in the front part of the house. Safwan Eid did not have burns on his face or hands, which he should have had committing such an act. An independent fire protection specialist‘s statement claiming different results is not taken into consideration because he supposedly is biased.
There is still uncertainty about Safwan Eid‘s motif. The refugees write in a declaration: “Safwan did not have a motif for this horrible crime.“ The persons taking care of the refugee shelter can ‘t either report of special problems between the inhabitants. Moreover, Safwan later claims that it might be possible that he used the wrong expressions because of his bad knowledge of German.
However, the authorities ‘investigation continues. They interrogate the refugees again and again. Sometimes even at night, and even the children up to 5 hours. They’re treated like suspects.
Eid allegedly started the fire in his quarters for unknown reasons, then went to sleep one floor above, and then -awakened by his father- rescued all the others before saving his own life. Only to confess the act to an unknown person shortly after, while still discussing with his family the possibility of being the victims of a fascist attack. All of this seems “not unplausible “to the prosecution.
The juveniles from Grevesmühlen are summoned again. The three of them have scorched hair and eyebrows, and only a flimsy alibi for the time the fire broke out. Their statements are not checked; the three are released again. Their credibility is not even questioned after establishing proof of their ties to the radical right -as for the paramedic, the main witness against Safwan Eid.
On February 1, two weeks after the fire, investigations into a radical right background for the attack have been stopped. The German press accepts the one-sided investigative results without criticism. It is accepted as an established fact that the perpetrator was not German. While the prosecution gets more and more inhibited, the press further embellishes the situation in the refugee shelter. According to “anonymous letters “,the whole thing is about “car trafficking, drug dealers, prostitution, and even child pornography “!
Safwan Eid is acquitted on July 2.None of the pieces of evidence resists scrutinization of the juvenile court. Now the investigators have to start over again and should look into those clues that had been “completely worked off “already in April. However, after the court ‘s decision the prosecutor declares on July 5:“Thereis no reason to re-open investigations against the Grevesmühlen juveniles.“ The investigations are not re-opened.
Until today the arson attack against the refugee home in the Hafenstraße of Lübeck has not been solved.

Some Pictures from actions - 96kB - pdf-file

Pictures from actions against war and militarization of society - 184kB - pdf-file

German imperialism started two world wars that enslaved the world. Twice, it was defeated.
After World War II, a western German army of former generals of the Wehrmacht (the army of Nazi Germany) was created by breaching the Potsdam Agreement against the opposition of a great part of the people. It aimed at getting back the so -called “lost areas “- if necessary by war.
With the annexation of the GDR in 1990 the German Ministry of War placed the People ‘s Army of the GDR under its command and dismissed more than 90.000soldiers.The Bundeswehr (the FRG ‘s Army) occupied the GDR through the Commando East and formed further armies in Eastern Europe according to the model of the Bundeswehr.

At home, the Department of War introduced a new quality to the militarization of society in 1999.Exceptfor the military core jobs, all jobs are to be transferred to companies in the FRG. The soldiers are to be educated in civil companies. The civilian hospitals are to place their beds and nurses staff at the disposal of the German military and the Post Office Company (Post AG) is to assume the distribution of the uniforms of the German warriors.
At the same time, the German Ministry of War is constructing a European army that is under German command. Against the resistance of France, Great Britain, and the USA. That the FRG could nevertheless do this can only be explained by its economic power, its military threat, and its arrogance.
The FRG initiated the war against Yugoslavia and today leads again militarily in Europe. It will command the states of Europe and start the fight for world power against the USA. This can only be prevented if the German people offer resistance against the efforts of German imperialism together with the peoples of Europe.

Quotations from the Potsdam Agreement which was signed by the victorious powers of World War II (USSR, USA, Great Britain, and France) in August 1945:

„The complete disarmament and demilitarization of Germany and the elimination or control of all German industry that could be used for military production.“
 “To destroy the NSDAP (Nazi-Party of Germany) and its affiliated and supervised organisations, to dissolve all Nazi institutions, to ensure that they are not revived in any form, and to prevent all Nazi and militarist activity or propaganda.“

However, in the western zones denazification wasn‘t enforced. In 1945 former Wehrmacht generals wrote a memorandum in which they repudiated the blame for the crimes during World War II, and they planed the reconstruction of a German army.
The construction of the Bundeswehr with the Wehrmacht ‘s generals could only succeed by banning the KPD (Communist Party of Germany) and the FDJ (Free German Youth) in 1956 and 1951,r espectively.

The Bundeswehr in the Tradition of the Wehrmacht:

In 1956,31 out of 38 generals in the Bundeswehr were former members of the Wehrmacht ‘s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Bundeswehr kept the old names of the barracks which had been given to them by the Wehrmacht.37 military barracks have the names of heroes of the Hitler-Wehrmacht until today. In 1990, only 11 out of  400 barracks in West Germany had the names of persons in the Wehrmacht who were Hitler ‘s opponents.
One day before the annexation, on October 2, 1990, the GDR ‘s Secretary of Defense Eppelmann ordered to dismantle the names of antifascists from all of the 299 barracks of the NVA (the army of the GDR).
Until today, the deserters from the Wehrmacht aren‘t honoured. On the contrary -they have a police record.

On October 3,1990,the day of the annexation, Major General Scheven of the Commando East held a speech in front of the assembled NVA officers in Strausberg: “In our opinion, the ability of performance of your soldiers and your weapons will not stand back behind the performance of the Wehrmacht.“

Equipment of the NVA amounting to 200 billion D-Marks were confiscated by the FRG. The Allies decided the weapons should be dismantled. Actually, Turkey and Croatia were armed illegally with many weapons of the NVA.

Among other things, the FRG ‘s Department of War confiscated the following weapons of the NVA:

• 300,000 tons of ammunition

• 1.3 million guns

• 9,000 armoured vehicles

• 2,300 tanks

• 5,000 artillery, missile and anti-ballistic systems

• 700 tactical aircraft, transport aircraft or helicopters

• 192 ships and navy vehicles“

Germany has come to a close with its history, in the future it can openly admit to its role as a world power and it should expand this role.“
(Federal Chancellor Kohl, in January 1991)

With the so-called “Political Guidelines for Defense “in 1992,armed missions of the Bundeswehr in foreign countries were legitimated. These guidelines are a breach of the Constitution. They were never been passed by the parliament.
Some quotations from the so-called “Political Guidelines for Defense “:
“Prevention, containment, and termination of crises and conflicts which could affect Germany ‘s existence and stability.“ “Vital security interests “of the FRG are the “maintenance of free international trade and unrestricted access to markets and raw materials in the world, within a fair world economic system “.

Armament:

The Bundeswehr ‘s plan of 1997 determined the investment of 225 billion D-Marks in the production of weapons and an extra 320 billion D-Marks for the use of modern weapons in the next twenty years.

The important arms of the Bundeswehr are offensive weapons.
With the cruise missile Taurus MAW, Germany is the first country in Europe to introduce cruise missiles. They are attached to the tactical aircraft Tornado and, in the future, to the Euro-Fighter to destroy the enemy ‘s supplies.
The new submarine 212 is 3 1/2 times bigger than its predecessor and is suited to destroy enemy submarines. Until 2004 the FRG wants to put an independent system of satellite reconnaissance into operation.

In 1996,the German ambassador Hans Arnold already called these plans the “second rearmament “(better: second remilitarization).

The per capita export rate of armaments is $6,800 in the FRG, $2,500 in the USA, and $3,000 in Japan.

Militarization of Society:

The militarization of society is carried out by transferring logistics and supply duties from the Bundeswehr into private enterprise. Only the central duties will be managed by the Bundeswehr, e.g. the planning and carrying out of missions in case of war. For example, the employees of Post AG are to manage the distribution of150,000 military uniforms for troops in combat mission. In case of war, civilian hospitals are to provide 56,000sickbeds,as well as hospital staffs. The apprenticeship of 22,000 soldiers is to be transferred to civilian enterprises. Thus the real expenses for war are neatly disguised.
By the integration of military into society the military doesn’t become more civilian -but society becomes more military!

300 adolescents who aren‘t yet 18 years old are employed in the Bundeswehr. The German Secretary of War is responsible for this.

The Bundeswehr is undergoing a radical change. The new Bundeswehr consists of 255,000 soldiers. Out of these,150,000 are intervention forces. The rest of105,000 soldiers are available for defensive operations. National defense is not important anymore. New troops are built up for interventions against other peoples only.

Since January 2001,women “have been allowed “to go to war against other peoples armed.

The functions of the Bundeswehr‘s general inspector are centralized. Before, the different parts of the military (air force, army, navy) were commanded by separate general inspectors. Today there is only one general inspector who commands the whole army.
Today, in fact, the general inspector is the leader of the Joint Chiefs of Staff which is a breach of the Potsdam Agreement.

The German Department of War gets the military leadership in Europe -against the resistance of Great Britain, France, and the USA. It holds the leadership of the European Union ‘s Joint Chiefs of Staff and the European Union ‘s military committee as well as office of deputy commander-in-chief of NATO in France and Great Britain try to prevent the German possession of the European military leadership. The West European Union for Security and Defense (WEU) was integrated into the EU. That means, Europe is partly disconnected from NATO. The USA warn Europe of an offensive against NATO. They refuse to accept an independent armed force in Europe.

Decision of the EU conference in Helsinki in 1999:
The action area of the European intervention troops with 60,000 soldiers is fixed in a 4,000 km radius around Brussels (i.e. missions in Africa and the Caucasus Mountains are included).
Germany has the largest contingent, with 18,000soldiers at disposal. Until 2003,the European troops are to be disposable within 60 days and they are be able to carry out missions lasting at least one year. Altogether the European intervention forces comprises at least 200,000 men and women.
The Bundeswehr is to be in the position to manage a big operation with 35,000 soldiers for one year, or two middle-ranged operations with 8,000 soldiers all together.

European corps:

In addition to these intervention troops, there are the so-called European Corps. They were created at the initiative of the FRG‘s government and are also available for the European intervention forces. The Bundeswehr clearly dominates the European and international corps. In each of these armed forces the German army participates -as no other international army!

Since May 1,1999,the Austrian constitution includes an article for “authorization of war “. According to this article, Austrian soldiers are allowed to participate in wars within the scope of the European Union -without the UN ‘s consent. This “authorization of war “went into effect at the same time as the EU treaty of Amsterdam, which gave the European Union the authorization to go to war worldwide. The Chancellor and Foreign Secretary of Austria alone are allowed to decide Austria ‘s participation in wars. With that the Austrian constitution ‘s essential component of neutrality was eliminated.

The German armament monopolist Daimler-Chrysler is the biggest producer of armament in Europe. In cooperation with France and Spain, Daimler-Chrysler is to a great extent responsible for the production of armaments in Europe.

Pictures from actions against war and militarization of society - 184kB - pdf-file

Some Pictures of an action against German Imperialism - 185kB - pdf-file

Threatening of Eastern Europe by German Imperialism

It was a symbolic act: When in 1992 the date for the parliamentary elections in Lithuania was finally set after a parity of votes, it was by tossing a coin -a German 50 Pfennig coin. The German Mark was to be the savior of Eastern Europe. It is a predetermined widely in Greater Germany that the area for German economic expansion has to be Eastern Europe. The picture that even the critics of German expansionism have in mind is: The FRG is pumping loads of capital into Hungary, Poland, and the Czech and Slovak Republics. Dangerous in the sense of conflicts with increasing potential for war is the fact that economic means are no longer sufficient to protect German dominance east of the border rivers Oder and Neisse against the hunger of the imperialist rivals: This is where political and military measures come onto the stage. Once again it seems a correct statement that the flag follows the merchant. This picture is correct for colonial policies at the beginning of the 20th century, it is not correct for the developments in Eastern Europe at the end of the very same century and the beginning of this one, the 21st.It is only creating illusions, for reality is much more dangerous and much more explosive.

First: The illusion of a rich FRG with banks and industry that shove billions of D-Marks into Eastern European countries, buy one factory after the other, and make the region a cheap-and-dirty-job-colony on the one hand, and on the other hand guide the region along the holy path to capitalist development -this illusion is wrong. The German direct investments in these countries as well as those of the other industrialized nations are only small. It is very difficult to get exact figures for foreign direct investments and they differ from newspaper to newspaper to other media. But the following average trends can be outlined:
Between 1990 and 1994 a maximum of 33 billion US-Dollars foreign investment was made. Only 15 percent of this sum, 2.22 billion US-Dollars (5 billion D-Marks) came from the FRG. Knowing the fact that the German monopolist Siemens has around 9 billion US-Dollars to spend, this is plain nothing. After only a few years of so-called free market economy in the former socialist countries, the German investments there are decreasing already. In 1989 the German corporations had to be the first to go there. Until 1992, German investments in Eastern Europe were increasing steadily and heavily. They made up for 70 percent of all foreign investments in Czechoslovakia in 1991.

Second: On average, between 1989 to 1992, the FRG was top, with 39.9 percent of all foreign money there, followed by the USA with 21.1 percent, and France with 14.6 percent investments in Czechoslovakia alone. From 1992 on, the German initiative was slowing down a lot. In the first quarter of 1993, the FRG had only 4.7 percent of the foreign investments in the Czech Republic (the country was split up meanwhile), the USA still had 70.3 percent, and France 5.7. 1994 was also a year without FRG capital transfer worth mentioning -quite the opposite: promised investments were cancelled. In October of the same year, this led to a strike of workers in the Skoda factory in Mlada Boleslav, where the workers called the new owners, Volkswagen, not only cheaters but also „Herrenmenschen“ (the Naziword for the so-called “superior race “).

In other Eastern European countries the development is quite similar: In Hungary, the USA invests more than the FRG does, in Romania the FRG is only number four and behind Italy, the US and the Netherlands, in Poland the main investor was not German but Italian capital in 1992. The Bank of Eastern Europe is disappointed because German banks are not willing to show financial initiative: At the moment, the bank is implementing financial projects in the former eastern economicregion, 41 with US-capital, 29 with French but only16 with German money. Thus, is Eastern Europe ‘s fear of Greater Germany inadequate? Is Europe ‘s fear of Greater Germany oppressing the continent from its position in “Middle Europe “,is it baseless in the face of these numbers and facts and developments? Quite the contrary. This development cannot be calming and safe because it is not new to history: The relative part German capital invested in Czechoslovakia (compared to other investments there) was diminishing and slowing down visibly between 1929 and the Munich Agreement of 1938.It was driven up immensely again when the Nazis ‘occupation army invaded the country.

What makes the danger to peace and the reason for the aggressiveness of the swollen Germany so big and explosive right now, are the very same reasons: the obvious disqualification of the developed capitalist industrialized nations to establish their own economic system on the territory of their former adversary, socialism - and to establish it so profitably that investments would pay off eventually and be worth while.

In a world where the revenue of General Motors is higher than the gross domestic product of Norway, the big monopolies have piled up such an over-capacity of capital that the demand of the solvent people in the world is not enough to make it profitable and use it up. The chairman of chemistry giant BASF stated this clearly recently: Capacity is big enough, and the need and the growth of need in the world is only small, thus BASF will not expand but rationalize to keep the growth of profits. In Eastern Europe he would thus like better to sell than to build new factories, he said. The Siemens boss for the Czech Republic said mainly the same: The low wages in the Czech Republic almost balance out against a transfer of capital into the region. This advantage, as he called it, the starvation wages in Eastern Europe, means at the same time that the people cannot buy anything. All of the former socialist countries together have the market share within Europe as Sweden alone. So why invest in such countries? There are no means in the whole capitalist system that can take capitalism successfully into these countries and install it there safely. Between 60 and 70 percent of the joint ventures in these countries are bankrupt by now, in the Russian Federation over 90 percent. It seems like a paradox, but this is the nature of the dying system of private ownership of the means of production. German capitalism is in a very difficult situation; and this is what makes Germany so dangerous. One example of what eastern Europe has to expect -obvious for everybody -is the annexation of the GDR. 80percent of the productivity of the GDR are destroyed. Not by rivalry and competence, as is often said, but simply destroyed. Especially the products unique and profitable in the world, like calium production at Bischofferode, were destroyed. The markets were taken away from the factories of the GDR: In 1989 the exports to Eastern Europe were equivalent to 29 billion D-Marks, in 1992 only to 7 billion. At the same time, the FRG export rate to the same market increased from 24.4 billion to 30.1 billion D-Marks. One of the effects was that once highly industrialized Saxonia fell back behind Greece when it comes to the number of industry workers per 1,000 inhabitants. But this annexation, making monopolies rich by robbery, is expensive: Transfer payments increased, and now make180 billion D-Marks per year so that the state ‘s indebtedness grew to over 2,000 billion D-Marks. For the first time in decades, the rich FRG had to borrow money and was indebted. Do not think that the German capitalists have run out of money -they just need it to keep up their position in the countries where their biggest rivals also are: in the USA, Pacific Area, France, UK. There is just nothing left over for Eastern Europe. Thus the investments are -and they say it openly -to secure and protect markets and to keep them from slipping out of German hands by all means. On the other hand, the pole position in Eastern Europe is a vital necessity. This is the kitchen where the old, revanchist, and reactionary soup of a “German Middle Europe “is boiling again. All of them know that they cannot gain power over Europe and challenge the USA and Japan without holding Eastern Europe, Middle Europe safely in their hands. Only a greater economic area, as the one the Nazis had created, is able to provide a pole position in the struggle for world power. As the FRG is neither willing nor able to buy this position, it tries to gain it by other means -and these are by far not more peaceful, but more aggressive and more bellicose, they are more dangerous than an economic attack on Eastern Europe could ever be. For example, the so-called “Asylum Compromise “that was passed by Parliament in 1992:It was not about the refugees as such, it was about a heating up of chauvinist and racist atmosphere within German society. And it was also about finding a device that would make it possible to reign into the territory of Eastern European states. And these means prove to be more successful every day as the special arrangements with Poland and the Czech Republic show. We refer to the military maneuvers together with Poland, and to the role minorities come to play. Just look at the Sudeten who were used by Hitler to acquire a part of Czechoslovakia: Today they are used for the same reason by the Berlin Republic. They are not to come to the FRG, they are being paid for staying where they are and fighting for German interests where they are. We refer to the role Germany plays when it comes to dividing whole countries: Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia. They have in mind what Himmler said: „We must see to it that in the East we must accept as many different minorities as peoples as we can.“

We also want to highlight that the monetary policy of German imperialism is to tie up as many monetary systems as possible: Estnia, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina …the list is open. The two ways of expansion are the same sides of one coin and make up for the aggressive strategy. Which directions does German capital take? The strategic areas in case of war: electricity, logistics, infrastructure, telecommunications, fossile raw materials like oil and gas. A planned gas pipeline to connect the Czech Republic and a German region called Bavaria is to break up the ties to the Russian pipeline (this one is called Drushba -Friendship). BASF is in close contact to Eastern Europe to build pipelines; electricity providers all over Germany are interested to get their piece of cake. Another point is infrastructure: the German Department of Traffic is building highways for the main routes: Hamburg and Leningrad are connected by such a highway. Technology that can be used for war also has been or is changing hands towards Germany (Skoda, CKD, Avia, Liaz). The workers of the tractor production Ursus in Poland would rather be unemployed than work for the Germans, and they kept Mercedes from taking over the factory. Telecommunications: It is in German hands all over Eastern Europe. Tesla, Matay, PTK, and the former state telecommunications companies are in completely German-owned or dominated by German companies like Siemens, Deutsche Telekom, Bosch, DASA.
And do not forget the press: It is of utmost importance for German newspapers to take over their rivals in Eastern Europe -this is the way to mold the public opinion of whole countries. The regional press and two widely read papers in the Czech Republic, the most highly circulated Hungarian daily newspaper, and daily newspapers in Poland are a feast for revanchist German papers to take over.

A Summary:

Whoever believes that Germany is buying up Eastern Europe is entirely wrong. The capitalists in Germany are neither willing nor able to do so. However, concerning strategy: In the sense of a geographic region that provides goods, nutrition, and raw materials as well as a bridgehead to the countries farther East and Southeast, across the Balkans to the oil reserves of the Middle East, the dominance over Eastern Europe is of utmost importance for the Central European state FRG. This is as important as it was at the beginning of the last century. This is what drives political and military commitment and activity before even the actual economical use will be evident. And this is also the reason why, perhaps, German imperialism might start a war against western countries after having subjected the Eastern European states.
Stefan Eggerdinger, Streitbarer Materialismus,„Expansion towards Eastern Europe “,1994

Some Pictures of an action against German Imperialism - 185kB - pdf-file

Song of the world ‘s youth

One great vision unites us, though remote be the land of our birth,
Foes may threaten and smite us, still we live to bring peace to the earth!
Every country and nation stirs with youth‘s inspiration -
Young folks are singing happiness bringing - friendship to all the world!

Everywhere the youth are singing freedom‘s song, freedom‘s song, freedom‘s song!
We rejoice to show the world that we ar strong, we are strong, we are strong!
We are the youth and the world acclaims our song of truth!
Everywhere the youth are singing freedom‘s song, freedom‘s song, freedom‘s song!

Une seule espérance nous rassemble et nous dicte sa loi,
Et sur cette espérance nous avon établi notre foi!
Tous les pays du monde et leur langue répondent
Par la jeunesse vient la promesse d ‘un avenir meilleur!

Nous voulons chasser la haine pour toujours, pour toujours, pour toujous!
Et bannir la peur, la guerre sans retour, sans retour, sans retour!
Oui, nous allons donner aux peuples le bonheur!
Et bannir la peur, la guerre sans retour, sans retour, sans retour!

Sobre el odio la guerra surge el canto de la humanidad,
Vibra toda la tierra con este himno de fraternidad!
Juventud de este mundo, este coro fecundo,
surge potente, se eleva ardiente exigiendol libertad!

Estas voces nuestras no se apagaràn, duraràn, crecerán!
La mentira ya no nos prisionará, prisionará, prisionará!
Juventud, juventud, la libertad sobre el ancho mundo brillará!
Este canto no se apagará jamás, juventud, juventud!