“This video has brought the citizens of Chemnitz[1] into disrepute. The federal chancellor spoke of hounding (of foreigners) and — in the ensuing coalition crisis — the head of federal security was fired.
“Tichys Einblick has found the woman who recorded it. “Hase, du bleibst hier” (Rabbit,[2] you stay here) has become a famous phrase. The video is supposed to prove that that such hounding of foreigners happened in Chemnitz. Talking with the woman who made the video shows what it really was.”
There was no chasing down of foreigners on August 26, 2018. Even though the chancellor was so sure there had been. On August 27th, government spokesperson Steffen Seibert commented as follows on the events in Chemnitz. “Such ganging-up, hounding people who look different or come from somewhere else, or trying to spread hate in the streets — that we will not stand for.”
Chancellor Angela Merkel expanded on it in an interview the following day: “We have video recordings that show hate-hounding, mobbing up, hate in the streets, and that has no place in our nation of laws.” She supported this with a 19-second video distributed by a group called “Antifa Zeckenbiss” (Antifa Tick-bite).
Tichys Einblick has found the original source of the short video, and now reveals the background in Chemnitz. The video does not document any hounding or “manhunts.” A palpable governmental crisis: the head of national security discharged, the minister of the interior under considerable pressure, a chancellor and her press representative taken in by the media. All because an ominous group named “Antifa Zeckenbiss” acquired a short video sequence, published it and falsely claimed that this was how a mob hounded immigrants.
The public media — Tagesschau, Heute, Tagesthemen, Heute Journal — play this sequence in endless loops. Frontal 21 is especially over-the-top. The media write of a “manhunt video,” “hate video” or “ persecution video.” 19 seconds of video are featured in the lead media worldwide as alleged proof of pogroms in Saxony (Augstein), and also hundreds of thousands of times in the social media such as Facebook.
Chemnitz hits the headlines all over the world. Up to and including the New York Times, the reports are shockingly uncritical and steeped in ignorance. On the basis of 19 seconds of video taken from a Chemnitz WhatsApp group by Antifa Zeckenbiss agitprop journalists.
None of it is true.
After weeks of research, Tichys Einblick has found the originator of the 19-second video (“Rabbit, you stay here”) and now reveals the “scandalous” events at Chemnitz. Our investigations confirm the statements of Security chief, Hans-Georg Maaßen, who has meanwhile been discharged from office because he denied these events in four short sentences, and thereby crossed the chancellor. No persecution of immigrants can be confirmed with this alleged proof. This is purposefully false information. Even then, Maaßen is understating. He dares to contradict the chancellor, who was taken in by the media. Result: a government crisis.
Moderately, Maaßen announced in Bild that Security has no reliable information on persecutions in Chemnitz. No confirmation has been found that the 19-second video is authentic, or that could confirm the political-media description of a “hunt.” And then — very aptly from our recent perspective — his conclusion: According to his “cautious assessment” there are clear indications that this is purposefully false information, possibly intended to divert public attention from the murder in Chemnitz.
Exactly what happened on August 26 is not yet fully clarified, even though Saxony’s governor promised “clarification” three months ago. Thus far, however, the only thing clarified is that there were confrontations between two groups of men. Bild wrote: “A Syrian (23) and an Iraqi (22) are suspected of cooperating in manslaughter. They are in custody. The official report on the commission of the crime is: The accused are suspected of stabbing a 35-year-old German husband and father to death on Brückenstraße in Chemnitz, without justifiable reason, after an argument.” Dead of six stab wounds is the 35-year-old Cuban-born Daniel Hillig, whose two friends are severely wounded. Bianca X., Daniel’s life partner, does not know in what hospital Daniel died. Days later, not far from the Chemnitz Karl Marx monument — the “Nischel” (the Niche) — Bianca, weeping loudly, kneels before the memorial to Daniel with her 7-year-old son.
Long after the attack, the square is still edged by grave candles and flower bouquets. For weeks at night, it has been protected from Antifa attacks by residents. Last Friday, at one of the regular demonstrations, the police loudspeaker downplayed it as the “scene of an accident.” But that is not what it is for many Chemnitzers. They prevent the removal of candles and flowers. For some, the scene of the crime has become a memorial, while others want to forget the incident.
Sunday, August 26, 2018 at 7:54 A.M.
As soon as five hours after the deed, Tag 24 reports online and per Facebook: “35-year-old dies after a stabbing in the city.” People in and around Chemnitz are shocked. Seven hours later, 100 Chemnitz residents are silent mourners around the pool of blood. An hour later — shaken — they leave the scene of the crime.
Close to 4:00 P.M., more Chemnitzers come to the inner city, to get an idea of the situation and learn more particulars. The city authorities cancel the city fair already in progress. Another video shows at least a thousand Chemnitzers walking through the city in a spontaneous funeral procession, now and then blocked by the police, to ultimately gather around the pool of blood. Meanwhile, citizens silently place candles and flowers on the asphalt. The originator of the 19-second video is among the mourners.
The murder of Daniel Hiller is being pursued by the prosecutor’s office as “manslaughter.”