JLH sends this PEGIDA Triptych, consisting of three (translated) parts:

1. This is the sad note, where a leader steps down, but other leaders are already in place. And we learn that the Past is not Prologue — Facebook is.

“Movement Damaged” — Bachmann Resigns and Apologizes

The initiator of the PEGIDA movement is resigning because of derogatory remarks about foreigners. Bachmann apologizes and says that he would not use expressions like “dumb animals” and “dirtbag” today. A photo of him with Hitler-style mustache and hair over the forehead, he says, was meant to be a joke.

After heavy criticism of photos in a “Hitler pose” and comments on the internet, the founder of the Islam-critical movement Pegida, Lutz Bachmann, has stepped down from his role in the organization. “I am sorry that I have damaged the interests of our movement and accept the consequences,” Bachmann said on Facebook.

Bachmann was severely criticized for the photos in Hitler pose — indeed also from within his own movement. Deputy leader Rene Jahn declared in BILD: “There have to be consequences.” The internet photos show Bachmann with a “Hitler mustache.”

Pressure on the Islam critic rose during the course of the day, because the Dresden city attorney’s office began an investigation on suspicion of hate speech. This was triggered by press reports on alleged Facebook entries and commentaries by Bachmann, berating and insulting refugees and asylum seekers.

“I apologize sincerely to all citizens who are offended by my posts,” Bachmann declared. “They were thoughtless comments which I would no longer make today.” The Pegida movement is losing its best-known — and most controversial — representative. This Monday’s demonstration has been called off because of, among other things, death threats against Bachmann.

Herbst Contradicts Bachmann

Apparently Bachmann’s loss of support inside Pegida’s leadership was because of the remarks and not the “Hitler selfies,” which were satire, and that is allowed to any citizen, explained Pegida spokeswoman Kathrin Oertel.

Bachmann himself confirmed the genuineness of the photos in BILD and classified them as a joke. “While getting my hair cut, I took the picture for the audiobook “He’s Back” and posted it on the bulletin board for Christoph Maria Herbst,” said the 41-year-old. “Sometimes you also have to make fun of yourself.”

The actor Herbst let it be known through his lawyer that he has no page on Facebook and has never “liked” the photo or anything similar, as Bachmann maintains. Bachmann had told BILD that Herbst liked it.

Oertel: Universal Derogation Will Not Do

Oertel said that the photos were one thing, and private. “General insults of foreigners, however, are not.” Pegida rejects Bachmann’s familiar Facebook posts “in the strongest possible terms,” Oertel added. Things like “dumb animal,” dirtbag” and “trash” have no place “in political discourse.”

Oertel also noted attacks by political opponents. Bachmann’s posts must be condemned, but so must things like “rat-catcher” [cf. Pied Piper] (Ulbig), “bunch” [from the Yiddish for family] (Özdemir) or “smelly, brown-green slime” (taz). Personal integrity alone creates credibility,” says Oertrel.

Bachmann did much for Pegida, according to Oertel. “He brought the movement to the streets and into the media, and together with us managed to mobilize and inspire tens of thousands of people. We regret this development. We regret it that much more, given that a different perception of Pegida has become noticeable since the weekend.”

Call to Reverse Course

Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel called for all Pegida followers to reverse course. “Anyone in politics who puts on a Hitler face is either an idiot or a Nazi. Everyone should re-consider following such rat-catchers,” said the SPD chair to BILD. Minister of the Interior, Thomas de Mazière warned: “Such people should not be followed.” But it is necessary to make distinctions. Among the participants are many who urgently seek discourse. “And we must lead that,” said the CDU politician.

Differences Between Pegida and Legida

There are apparently differences between the Islam-critical alliance Pegida and its Leipzig offshoot. Oertel announced this evening legal steps against the group Legida, which has organized thousands in Leipzig. “Nothing that has been said or demanded in Leipzig has been agreed with us. This can be counter-productive for the perception of our movement. Therefore, we are seeking an injunction,” says Oertel.

Fewer Than Expected in Leipzig

Accompanied by fierce counter protests, several thousand followers of the Leipzig Pegida offshoot assembled in the city of trade fairs. Many of them had to be escorted by police through the mass of counter demonstrators to the assembly point. There were minor scuffles between the sides.

Altogether 19 counter demonstrations and vigils were announced. The city is experiencing one of its largest police operations since the Wende (the political turn from Communism in 1989). About 4400 police officers were there to prevent confrontations between the groups.

2. This is the angry note, where we find the recipe for totalitarianism and an epitaph for silly women.

Progress Report: Cologne Lets Kögida Run Aground

Marion Schrezemaier was in Cologne at the beginning of January, when Kögida set out on its demo. In the following report, she offers her observations and makes a connection to women’s rights.

by Marion Schrezenmaier, January 13, 2015

On January 5th I was at the demonstration and the attempted walk by Pegida. I could reach the middle of Otto Square only with police protection, because a bellowing crowd was howling around me — not good for weak nerves.

The Pegida assembly was surrounded and could only be shielded from violence by a double line of police. Thank goodness for the police — without them the mob would have been all over us like wild dogs.

Those Peace-Loving Anti-Pegida Demonstrators

We live in very interesting times. We may be experiencing how a thought dictatorship is constructed — where dissidents are shouted down, intimidated, threatened, and slandered as Nazis. Like that, and only like that, can dictatorships be established. Just in case someone, sometime wants to explain to their children how that actually happened — this is how:

People are gently and subtly wrought up against dissidents. They are told what heroes they are when they really buckle down and pull on those red or black lines. — use violence and terror against dissidents. And the elite grin happily in their ivory towers.

It’s Happening Again. Doesn’t Anyone Notice?

The Federation of Trade Unions, Mrs. Merkel, Mr. Schramma, Mr. Gauck, the Cologne Artists group, Canon Dr. Feldhoff, and the “quality” journalists were all not at the counter protest. No, that’s what they have their vassals for — to do the dirty work. Their seats and positions are being defended by the naive folk who think they are “doing a good thing.”

It Takes a Lot of Courage to Bully and Torment 500 People With Thousands of Blockaders

For several years I have been concerned about Muslim girls who are forcibly married, raped, forced to be totally covered, beaten because perhaps a young man looked at them, who cannot take part in sports instruction or class excursions, who must withdraw from female society to satisfy and coddle the control needs of Muslim men.

Who Thinks of These Girls? There Are Very Many of Them Dear Female Readers.

As the women around were foaming at the mouth and calling me a Nazi pig, I had to think of the Muslim girls “lynched” in the last 3 years:

• Arzu Özmen, Detmold, shot to death 11/01/2011 bin her brother
• Abdoal D., shot to death on 01/01/2012 in Hildesheim
• Fanzia, stabbed to death on 02/02/2012 in Gütersloh by her husband
• Müslime, strangled on 05/16/2012 by her husband
• Nura und Gülten from Berlin, shot on 01/16/ 2013 by her boyfriend
• Bahar Erdogan, stabbed on 01/19/2013 by her husband Erdal Tunc
• Neslian Celik, stabbed on 02/09/2014 in Marburg by her father
• Hatice und Münewer Gündüz, shot on 0814/2013
• Selim Özel, shot on 02.02.2014 in Berlin by Ramazan G.
• Kadriye, stabbed on 03.03.2014 in Schweinfurt by her husband
• Ayse, stabbed on 03/14/2014 in Ahaus by her husband
• Aaya, suffocated on 03/20/2014 in Hamburg by her brother
• Filiz Cekic, stabbed on 07/24/2014 by her husband
• Mehtap Savasci, murdered on 10/07/2014 in Kassel by her brother

Demos by Women? No Way!

Pegida writes in its position paper under point 10: Pegida is for resistance against an ideology that is hostile to women and inclined to violence.

and point 12: Pegida is for sexual self-determination

What Are These Women Demonstrating Against? Their Own Interests?

They are allowing themselves to be hitched up as draft animals to the wagons of the Islamic organizations and don’t notice that these masculine functionaries are laughing up their sleeves that they do not have to do their own deceptive, oppressing and bloody work. To the satisfaction of the men, they are being supported by Western women.

My hair stands on end, but only one comment is apt for these women:

They are ingratiating themselves by buying the rope that will hang them.

3. And this is the sour note, where we encounter a familiar refrain: Yankee go home!”

Pegada in Erfurt: Hundreds Against the “Americanization of the West”

Erfurt. It was the first demonstration by the self-styled “Patriotic Europeans Against the Americanization of the West.” Placards warned of the USA as a “terror power,” of a break with Russia and of a third world war. About 1,000 Pegada followers encountered 600 opponents in Erfurt. There were derisive whistles and scuffles.

“We cannot tell the pros from the cons,” a police spokesman said as the demo began. After heated verbal exchanges, it came to scuffling

The attempts of Pegada speakers to be heard were repeatedly interrupted by whistles. On top of that, the Pegada people were forced to give up the planned route through the inner city to Cathedral Square, because of sitting blockades by Antifa groups. After the demonstration, the group wrote on their Facebook page: “Today in Erfurt was the beginning of something incredibly big!”

In the opinion of churches, parties, unions and anti-fascist groups, what is behind Pegada is a crude alliance of conspiracy theorists, neo-Nazis and violence-prone hooligans. Pegada is not an official spin-off of the Dresden Pegida (“Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West”). But the similarity in names was no doubt purposeful.

Pegida followers, on the other hand, met on Friday evening in Dresden and, surprisingly, SPD chief and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel took part. The Economics Minister, who called his participation strictly private, declared: “I think we should make contact with people. Talking is the only thing you can do in a democracy.”

For links to previous articles about PEGIDA (Patriotische Europäer Gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes, Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West) and related movements, see the PEGIDA Archives.