JLH has compiled a synopsis of the latest PEGIDA news from Dresden and Frankfurt.

PEGIDA: Bachmann, Stadtkewitz, Mund

by JLH

This is a medley about PEGIDA — what just happened in Dresden and what has been happening in Frankfurt. First, some of the article on Live-Stream from Epoch Times:

Lutz Bachmann Back in the PEGIDA Leadership

One month after stepping down from leading the Islam-critical PEGIDA movement, Lutz Bachmann is back.

A secret vote decided “that Lutz will continue to function as one of three leaders” said the group’s Facebook page on Sunday. According to BILD on Monday, he was declared group chief.

Bachmann, co-founder of PEGIDA and for months the face of the Dresden Islam-critics, had stumbled because of the publication of a photo of him with a “Hitler mustache” and Facebook posts with hate-speech comments about foreigners.

In recent weeks, six members of the group had split from PEGIDA over differences of opinion. And some were not happy with the close collaboration of PEGIDA Dresden with the more radical Leipzig spin-off, LEGIDA.

“Direct Democracy for Europe” With Kathrin Oertel

Ex-PEGIDA spokesperson Kathrin Oertel, René Jahn and others founded their own initiative, “Direct Democracy for Europe,” which demonstrated for the first time on February 8, 2015 in Dresden. According to police estimates, there were 500 participants at their Sunday demonstration. The group’s own organizers said 1,000.

At their second demonstration on February 19, somewhat more than 100 people attended. Co-founder René Jahn was not discouraged: “We will go on, regardless of today’s number,” he said.

Before the split-up in January, Dresden PEGIDA had mobilized as many as 25,000 demonstrators.

This next article, also from Live-Stream, re-introduces us to René Stadtkewitz, whom we met some years ago when he was CDU in Berlin and the local CDU leadership was refusing him permission to hold a seminar on Islam. He had resisted a mosque in his own district, and his house had been burned out when he and his family were away. He left the CDU and formed Die Freiheit (Freedom), modeled on Geert Wilders’ Party For Freedom. Possibly because it spread itself too thin and was too diffuse, or possibly because it was a one-issue party, it never reached a percentage sufficient to enter the Bundestag (something recently accomplished by Alternative for Germany [Alternative für Deutschland, AfD] which emphasizes freedom from the euro, and also supports PEGIDA). He is now chair of Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa (BPE) and was the featured speaker Monday.

To clarify their purpose, PEGIDA Facebook page has a quotation from Confucius — “The Way is the Goal.” And the statement: “Our way is called PEGIDA and our goal is the enactment of the #DresdenTheses!”

I have re-arranged the order of events as presented in the article, since it runs from end to beginning:

Live-Stream PEGIDA-Demo Dresden — With Lutz Bachmann and René Stadtkewitz (Speaker)

Today again ca. 4,800 followers of PEGIDA on the street. Simultaneously ca. 250 people took part in the “Dresden for Everybody” counter-demo, said a police spokeswoman. The organizers of the PEGIDA demonstration had expected about 5,000.

6:45: Lutz Bachmann opened the 16th demonstration by PEGIDA in Neumarkt, in front of the Dresden Frauenkirche.

He greets all the GIDAs (last four words of the name = Gegen Islamisierung Des Abendlandes) who have gathered, the “courageous people.” “Dresden shows how it is”: In four months, he says. they have managed to spark discussions in Germany that have been overdue for years.

He announces that a paper will be published next Wednesday for the signature of all Muslim communities, intended to set forth cultural values in accordance with the constitution, such as freedom of expression, democracy, religious freedom, gender equality, but drawing a line at sharia, the burka and discrimination against women.

6:55: Main speaker, René Stadtkewitz.

He is very experienced in politics. From 2001 to 2011, member of the house of representatives of Berlin. Elected on the district list of the Pankower CDU. From October 2010 to October 2013, chair and co-founder of the Party for Freedom, after years as a member of the CDU. He has been active for years on behalf of the Judaeo-Christian heritage in Europe and against Islamization.

He thanked the participants for standing up against political slander, Antifa and jihadists.

“Make no mistake. It is your democratic right. Anyone who deviates from the conformist mainstream has a right to freedom of expression… What you are doing is good for Germany, because our freedom is under threat from without and within…

“A person is not born a terrorist, but is made into one…Do not misunderstand me. We are grateful that the great majority of Muslims — especially those in Western countries — do not share this violence, indeed do not even know it.

“But the deeds of IS are adding up… I call on all Muslims: Stand up and tear the violence and the hatred out of the Koran. Write a new Koran 2.0. Only then can there be peaceful co-existence. Only you can do that! Anyone who nonetheless still says that the atrocities do not come from the Koran, shares the responsibility for them.

“Islam cannot belong in Germany. Certainly, immigration can enrich a land, but only if it adheres to firm rules. And yet, even teachers and police officers are capitulating. If that continues, our land will lose its cultural identity.”

Stadtkewitz quoted Kohl, von Weizsäcker and CDU decisions which more than ten years ago had warned against too much immigration, and fought against the abuse of the right of asylum. But, he said, nothing has happened.

“Today, they berate us if we renew the old requirements. Politicians want to be re-elected, so they offer us sedatives. Every politician knows that the right of asylum is being abused.”

Stadtkewitz: “Politicians, ask your people what they want and what they are capable of! Take care of your country!”

Following this, the walk through Dresden begins.

7:20 pm: Moving out for the “Walk” through Dresden.

Note that a short report in Politically Incorrect estimates 10,000 people yesterday (Monday, February 23rd) — more than twice the “official” estimate. Apparently even statistics are in the eye of the beholder.

Next is PEGIDA’s Ten Theses, refined from an earlier 19

Ten Theses

And now from Germany’s equivalent of our “flyover country” to its equivalent of NYC or our “Left Coast” — a look at Frankfurt PEGIDA and its leading figure. Since German grammar inexorably assigns gender to all nouns — even those made from adjectives, like this one, the nickname for Heidi Mund — “die mutige Deutsche” — can be rendered in English as desired, either as “the courageous German” or “the courageous German woman.” it all depends on what your inner PC is telling you.

Her description of the FAZ interview technique with an “opponent” is instructive, to say the least.

From Politically Incorrect:

Heidi Mund — the Woman Behind Frankfurt Pegida

Heidi Mund was known as “die mutige Deutsche” when she faced the Salafists in Frankfurt am Main in 2011. In 2013, she interrupted the desecration of the Memorial Church of Speyer by the chanting of Allahu Akbar. For some weeks, she has been the spokeswoman for PEGIDA Frankfurt Rhine-Main. Since then, she has experienced what it means to stand up for freedom of expression and assembly. Beginning with the distribution of hate documents in her neighborhood by Antifa, slanders by her former colleagues in the vocational school and then threatening e-mails, leading to a media campaign of persecution. Inside of three days, the media transformed this dedicated Christian into a “right-radical racist.” PI gives Heidi Mund a chance to speak, uncensored and un-bowdlerized.

PI: Mrs. Mund, the fourth PEGIDA in Frankfurt takes place this Monday. Thus far it has never gotten as far as a walk because of the overwhelming counter-demonstration. How do you rate the chances that it will happen today?

Mund: We will walk, regardless. It is our right, our right of assembly.

PI: You said that in previous weeks, but it never worked. What exactly goes wrong? Are the police unwilling or unable to provide you a safe walk?

Mund: The police have done excellent work. I can’t say differently. The first two times, I decided in consultation with the police not to walk, for security reasons. The third time, the police leader was not available, so that I couldn’t come to an agreement with him. What the reason was, I still don’t know.

PI: But it must be depressing over time, fighting through such a massively superior numbers of Leftists with 70 or 80 stalwarts. Where do you get the strength?

Mund: That doesn’t bother me. I have a solid sense of justice. It’s functioning very strongly right now. And God has also given me an ability which is standing me in good stead right now. When everything is against me, I develop a strength I normally don’t have. As far as the counter demonstrators are concerned, most of them are just hangers-on who really don’t understand what it’s all about.

PI: What, in your opinion is the reason that the PEGIDAs in western big cities can’t gain traction? Has Islamization gone so far that no one dares to offer resistance?

Mund: I see it as a mix of fear and complacency. We here in the west are used to the good life, and don’t want to leave our comfort zone: “If everything goes down the drain, we can always emigrate.” The east remembers dictatorship, and anyone with sense does not want it again.

PI: You have certainly had no cause to complain about a lack of attention in the media. Even Israeli newspapers have reported on your demonstrations. How do you rate the reporting of the media on PEGIDA Frankfurt so far?

Mund: I was shocked that the press managed to make me into a Nazi even before our first demonstration, inside of two to three days. Brilliant achievement! I wouldn’t have thought it possible. There are few of them that report objectively. Now and then, the FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) does. At any rate, the interview with me that they called a “stressful interview” they did not publish, as per my authorization.

PI: FAZ had an interview with you and didn’t publish it?

Mund: As I said, it was a stress interview, as with political candidates, to reveal what the opponent is hiding, by using two or three people. The journalist, her boss and a “religious agent” were to conduct it with me. I did not want the third person. Apparently, they wanted to prove that I was a Nazi. It was a pretty long time afterward that FAZ got in touch with me. They sent me something that did not meet the standards of FAZ. And besides, the interview, because it took so long to edit, had been overtaken by events so that some things were no longer relevant and others now were.

PI: Still, the FAZ could have published the interview. Why do you think they didn’t?

Mund: I don’t think they liked my answers.

PI: What do you say to those who want to classify you as “rightist”?

Mund: We all suffer, more or less, from Naziphobia. Some people swing the “Nazi club” to silence those who are afraid of being called rightists. And so fear and fearmongering come together and seem to achieve their effect. I see myself as a values conservative.

PI: What strikes you in particular about the advance of Islamization?

Mund: What can I say that we don’t already know? Think of the demo against Israel last year and the open anti-Semitism on the streets of Frankfurt. We have Islamic organizations that don’t even represent any Muslims. Why, for instance, do we have no organizations for Buddhists or Hindus? Islam has an attitude of entitlement it does not deserve in this country.

PI: Do you think there really are the much invoked “fully integrated” Muslims among us?

Mund: We have people who call themselves “Muslim” and just want to live and work here peacefully, and just like us have an interest in the radicals being unable to spread. Because that means their freedom is over too! Many of these moderate, secular Muslims think that IS et al. have nothing to do with the Koran. And yet those people use their books as authority! Muslims think that the Bible was forged. They don’t know that there are more than 21,000 old documents in museums all over the world that prove that the Bible I read is the original. Since even the Koran states that the Bible is God’s word, they ought to do what the Bible says: “Love God with all your heart, with all your strength and your neighbor as yourself.”

Islam is not a race or a nationality, but an ideology.

PI: You say correctly and purposely, and as we assume, “ideology” and not “faith.”

Mund: I noticed that again and again in my years of working with youngsters and young adults. There is a clear difference between those who learned more intensively from their books and those who learned only superficially or from listening. For example, I knew one Turkish family whose son suddenly became radicalized. The mother always said, in tears: “We just wanted to work here and live well.”

PI: You, like all of PEGIDA, are accused of being against Muslims per se. What do you say to that?

Mund: I do not distinguish between people based on appearance, education, origin, etc. In this regard, I have two examples. One is the classroom. It does not matter to me which students are before me. What is important is that they all follow the same rules. That’s how it works. The second example is my home. Any guest is welcome there. But if anyone should threaten one of my children with a knife, or another guest, then out he goes. That is how we should act in our country. It does not matter whether someone calls himself Muslim or whatever. No matter. Everyone must abide by our law and system of justice. And by the way, my home does not belong to my guests. No matter how long they may live with me, it is still my home!

PI: Are you personally anxious about the increasing Islamization?

Mund: We should all have a healthy fear of that. I think of the 21 Coptic Christians bestially executed a few days ago in Libya. Does that make you afraid? These murderers rejoice in what they do and how they do it. They use it as an indicator to us that they are on the march to Europe. Islam has a drive to world domination that has not changed. If they gain more influence in Germany and Europe, everyone will suffer from it, even the Muslims living here peacefully. And who among us is thinking about the people who fled from Islam to Germany to find protection here?

PI: What do you think is the solution?

Mund: On no account let the murderers from the war zones return here. Those who want to emigrate to commit murder in other lands must not remain free. They are a danger to our land and our people! Collecting money to finance wars of extermination against infidels must be banned and punished. Or should we in Germany collect all those with blood on their hands? I can certainly not agree with Thomas De Maiziere — these are not “our sons and daughters!”

PI: As a Christian who is supposed to love your neighbor, how do you see the irresponsible “refugee” policy of the federal government?

Mund: There is also a love of neighbor that is falsely interpreted. Jesus Christ says: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Therefore, love others, but also myself. They belong together! It is natural to help people in distress. But not everyone who comes to us is a refugee in distress. When we award places, finances, social workers to “fake refugees,” we hurt those who really need our help, and ultimately ourselves too. First and foremost, we should take in women, children, the weak, the sick and the old. But it is apparent that the majority of the “so-called refugees” are young, strong men. Something is wrong there!

PI: PEGIDA is accused of causing the increase of racism. How do you reply to these accusations?

Mund: No, PEGIDA addresses subjects which must be addressed, and indeed urgently. We have been quiet too long in Germany. In recent decades, Germans put up with everything. The politicians get themselves elected with false promises and that’s that. That must stop. When we as the PEGIDA movement shout “We are the people,” this sentence is aimed above all at politics that have long ago lost the confidence of the citizens.

PI: Many thanks, Mrs. Mund and a peaceful walk this evening.

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.