Mennonites: A History of Persecution and Migration
The Mennonites represent one of the most significant religious minority groups with a centuries-long history of persecution. Emerging from the…
Analyses
Germany’s Fall in Academic Freedom: From Beacon to Problem Child?
For decades, the German Basic Law with its Article 5, Paragraph 3 – “Art and science, research and teaching shall…
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 Undemocratic 5-Percent Threshold: The “Weimar Trauma” as a Pretext for Repression Against Small Parties – Alice Weidel (AfD) Calls for Complete Abolition
The 5-percent electoral threshold (Fünf-Prozent-Hürde) is the most well-known yet omnipresent instrument of the German federal electoral system. Officially cited…
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…
A Sinister Alliance: The Shared History of Political Persecution by Iran and Germany
Berlin, 1967. Berlin, 1992. Berlin, 2026. The locations remain the same, the actors change, but the pattern persists: For decades,…
“Maleficium” and the Modern Witch Hunt
In the dark chapters of witch hunts, the accusation of “Maleficium” (harmful magic) was the ultimate weapon of the judiciary.…
The Authoritarian Drift: An Analysis of Germany in 2026
Is Germany reaching an “authoritarian tipping point”? While the Federal Republic formally remains a democracy, sociologists and political analysts warn…
Why Authoritarian Regimes Cannot Function Without Disciplined Doctors: The Medicine of Obedience
From the historical lessons of the 20th century to the pandemic measures of the 2020s: Political power has always sought…
The Silence of the Majority: Martin Niemöller’s Warning as a Mirror of the Present
“First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out…” – These lines by theologian Martin Niemöller have…
Tehran’s Long Arm: Transnational Repression by Iran in Germany
Political persecution by Iran is not confined to its own borders. While the global public focuses on geopolitical tensions in…
The End of Digital Anonymity: Social Media Bans for Minors and the EU Wallet
In 2026, the debate over a social media ban for those under 16 has reached a tipping point. While framed…