Political Persecution in Germany – Documentary from the Middle Ages to the Present Day
Political persecution in Germany, politically motivated crime, and political violence did not only exist during Prussian absolutism, the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, the Nazi era, and the GDR: in the FRG and the EU as well, dissidents and members of the opposition face repression and are restricted in their political or professional activities. We document political persecution in Germany.
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Most Read
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Dobrindt’s Secret Reform: How the Firewall Elites are Rebuilding the Intelligence Service into a New Domestic Secret Police
The masks of the self-proclaimed guardians of democracy have finally fallen. Right at the start of the Berlin summer holidays and shielded from public view [...] -
The Gestapo, Denunciation, and the Return of Political Persecution: Why We Must Learn from History
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme." This oft-quoted bon mot by Mark Twain takes on an oppressive relevance in light of current developments [...] -
Martin Sichert and the Spectre of Ideological Screening – Is Germany on the Path to Dictatorship?
The case of Martin Sichert in the Lower Saxony district of Friesland marks a historical and highly dangerous turning point in the political system of [...]
News on Political Persecution and Repression in Germany
Political Prisoners in Germany
Political persecution in the GDR and the Federal Republic of Germany (1949 to 1990)
Wolf Biermann – Singer-Songwriter, Dissident, and Victim of Political Persecution in East Germany
Wolf Biermann – A Voice of Resistance Against the SED Dictatorship Wolf Biermann (born 15 November 1936 in Hamburg) is …
Rent-a-Crowd and State Violence: Political Persecution by Iran in the Federal Republic of Germany (1967)
June 2, 1967, marks one of the darkest days in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. What began …
Tracing GDR Injustice: How to Research Stasi Records
Uncovering the past of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) is a significant and often emotional step for those affected and …
The Invisible Wounds: Political Persecution in the GDR and its Psychosocial Impact
Political persecution in the GDR was not a marginal phenomenon, but a central pillar of power maintenance for the SED …
The Spiegel Affair and the Authoritarian Spirit of the Strauß Era: Parallels to the Present
It was the moment the young German democracy passed its true test of maturity. What began as a police operation …
Movie Review: The Lives of Others – Between System Loyalty and Humanity
With his debut feature “The Lives of Others” (2006), Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck did more than just create a gripping …
Historical Political and Religious Persecution
Sophie Scholl – Courage, Conscience, and Resistance Against National Socialism
Sophie Scholl – A Young Woman in Resistance to the Nazi Dictatorship Sophie Scholl (9 May 1921 – 22 February …
Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg – Resistance Against National Socialism and the July 20, 1944 Assassination Attempt
Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (1907–1944) is one of the best-known figures of the German resistance against National Socialism. As …
The Gestapo, Denunciation, and the Return of Political Persecution: Why We Must Learn from History
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” This oft-quoted bon mot by Mark Twain takes on an oppressive relevance …
The Unbroken Continuity of German Criminal Code (StGB): How the Prussian Heritage Shapes Modern Political Justice
Anyone opening the contemporary Criminal Code ($StGB$) of the Federal Republic of Germany might believe they are looking at the …
The Black Cabinets: The Birth of Systematic Postal Surveillance in Occupied Germany
Long before the digital age and the invention of state trojans or algorithmic surveillance, governments had already found a highly …
Between Enlightenment and Espionage: Napoleonic Repression in Germany (1794–1814)
The era of French occupation in Germany, historically known as the Franzosenzeit, is one of the most paradoxical periods in …
The Garrison State: Surveillance, Discipline, and Political Persecution in Absolute Prussia
When we think of the Prussian absolutist state of the 18th century, images of immaculate military parades, strict administrative efficiency, …
The Persecution of Clara Zetkin: State Surveillance and Political Justice in the Weimar Republic
While official historical narratives frequently celebrate the Weimar Republic as a progressive, golden era of democratic awakening, a closer look …