ANARCHIST EVALUATIONS DISCUSS TENSIONS WITH RHEINMETALL ENTWAFFNEN ORGANISERS AND AUTHORITARIAN LEFT GROUPS ~ Cristina Sykes ~ Evaluations of last summer’s anti-militarist camp in Germany have highlighted the difficulties imposed by centralised organising and the militarist rhetoric among authoritarian left groups. The Berlin-based “A-Barrio” evaluation tells how the anarchist self-organised space struggled with the camp’s hierarchically-coordinated structure and lack of clear responsibility-sharing, while the monthly Graswurzelrevolution criticised the deeply militaristic and authoritarian tendencies of “red” groups in the camp. The Rheinmetall Entwaffnen protest camp took place last August in Cologne as a week-long gathering of workshops, discussions and protest against Germany’s largest arms manufacturer, and the country’s wider remilitarisation drive. It went ahead despite repeated attempts by city authorities to ban both the campsite and a planned demonstration, as organisers pressed on, drawing hundreds from across Germany and beyond. The week culminated in a large demonstration on 30 August, when police deployed around 1,600 officers, used water cannons and pepper spray, kettled participants for hours and arrested several hundred people. The ‘A-Barrio’ evaluation argues that for the camp organisers, “coordination and organisation meant centralising the decision-making in the common assembly, delegation, and a selective unified appearance”, while for the anarchists “autonomy and self-organization meant acting from one’s own initiative and responsibility, creating open procedures, organising through horizontal decision-making processes, having space for improvisation, and refusing to be told how the struggle should be or look like”. The writers note that “much of the camp’s infrastructure depended on autonomous initiatives; the kitchen, sani, awareness team, coffee stand. These groups were self-organized and somewhat politically close to us, although we did not actively engage in common procedures together. We can say that self-organization was critical in creating mutual aid in moments of crisis, such as the hour-long police kettle that saw many groups and individuals organise themselves in solidarity with the kettled comrades. Their role shows that autonomy was only a problem when it appeared in forms that challenged existing structures or expectations”. Tensions with the camp’s central organisers became most visible around questions of political autonomy and protest tactics. One flashpoint concerned the appearance of party-political actors, including a planned talk by a parliamentarian from Die Linke, which prompted A-Barrio participants to hang a banner declaring the party “not welcome” — a move that led to pressure to remove it under the camp’s ‘code of conduct‘. On the final demonstration, A-Barrio marched as part of an autonomous block that refused several imposed conditions, such as blanket bans on face coverings and protective equipment. The evaluation describes how this block, alongside the so-called ‘Revolutionary Barrio’ of Marxist groups, was effectively isolated, kettled and targeted by police, while the rest of the march continued. The authors argue that this was not accidental, but flowed from a protest structure that prioritised control and recognisable leadership over pluralism and collective self-defence.  The assessment by Graswurzelrevolution focuses on the overtly militarist politics of authoritarian left groups at the anti-militarist camp. “From the ‘Revolutionary Barrio‘ came repeated pronouncements in favor of a people’s war and the East German People’s Army… A young man wearing a Stalin T-shirt was asked if he was aware of whom he was promoting... according to his indoctrination, the Gulags were just imperialist propaganda... Hammer and sickle flags left no doubt: authoritarian communism is a revenant; only the Communist Party can set us free“. Such displays, the authors argue, were expressions of a political culture that normalises hierarchy, discipline and violence and marginalises feminist, anti-militarist and anti-authoritarian perspectives. The A-Barrio initiative will meet this week in Berlin “to discuss openly whether or not to have a presence at the next Rheinmetall Entwaffnen Camp and also the option of our own anarchist-autonomous-antimilitarist camp, inside or outside Germany”. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Machine-assisted edit. Photo: Graswurzelrevolution The post Germany: “Frustration” with centralism, Tankies at anti-militarist camp appeared first on Freedom News.

ANARCHIST SPEECH AT THE BERLIN RALLY FOR FREE WESTERN SAHARA, 7 NOVEMBER ~ Anon ~ Some days exist to remind us of what we continually live through. The Green March occurred on November 6, but it was enabled by decades of colonial occupation. On November 6, 1975, the Green March, openly promoted by the Moroccan monarchy and quietly supported by European governments, particularly the Spanish state, unfolded. This event paved the way for a new phase in the colonial history of the region. The colonial occupation of Western Sahara by Moroccan forces resulted in the division of a people, with communities and friendships torn apart and violated at the most intimate levels of their existence. Languages were prohibited, customs criminalised, initially through extermination and forced displacement into the desert, followed by a local plan for assimilation and unification under a single national identity: in this case, Moroccan. But this is not a unique case; this is history repeating itself. It is crucial to acknowledge that the infrastructure and military conditions were already established because this territory had been under Spanish colonial dominance for decades. And it is particularly important to remember that although the Spanish state tries to propagate the fiction of a peaceful coexistence between Spanish colonisers and Saharawis, colonialism can never be pacific. Let us not forget that the Spanish state occupied the Sahara for geopolitical interests, to maintain control over the Canary Islands, which remain a Spanish colony today, absurdly treated as European territory despite their location off the African coast. The Canary Islands were the first colonised territory and a necessary base for the colonisation of Abya Yala. In summary, the narrative of peaceful coexistence between Spanish colonisers and the Saharawi people is not just a lie regarding that territory’s history; it stands as a falsehood because the colonisation of the Sahara happened over the blood of millions of people in Abya Yala and Canary Islands. Even though the Spanish crown, and later the Spanish state, have been intrinsically linked to colonialism, they have never operated alone. Colonial power is always a convergence of various actors, both state and private. However, today in a world of seemingly transnational capitalist interest, the role of nation states in the perpetuation of colonial relationships of power is obscured. Especially the role of the german state, which has always been a colonial force. The colonial policies of the Deutsches Reich were the inspiration and breeding ground for National Socialism. National Socialism became the foundation of the current German state with its extractivist, patriarchal, and racist policies. German repressive colonial tactics have been inspiration to other states throughout history. Let us not forget all the SS soldiers who continued their careers in the Global South, whether in NATO or fighting in Vietnam as part of the French Foreign Legion, just to name some examples. It is no coincidence that the alliance between Morocco, Israel, and Germany works so effectively. Germany’s interest in both providing and receiving military training from these two forces is significant. As people living in the territory claimed by the german state, we cannot view this situation as distant because we are part of it; it permeates our daily lives. The extreme militarisation of our society, the local war against migration, and the normalised police violence against feminist and anti-colonial movements show, that we must continue to walk opposing paths, those we have been tracing for a long time in search of different worlds. What does a country like Germany fear in the face of the feminist alliance? What does a monarchy like Morocco fear from women’s self-organisation in the streets? What we propose is not a reform; it is the creation of new worlds. What we suggest has no place and will never find space in their institutions. Anticolonial feminism comes to destroy all the pillars of our society. It confronts the Catholic Church and its evangelical counterparts with their developmentalist discourse on reproduction. We challenge the states and their constructs of private and public. We put our bodies—contested territory for over 500 years—on display, making others uncomfortable. Predictably, so dangerous. Anticolonial feminism comes to shout in the face of those who have historically silenced us: not one less! With the certainty that punitive measures are not the way, we will continue to chip away at the bars of every prison until all our sisters are free. We will keep fighting to laugh, to celebrate, to feel pleasure. Calling for a demonstration on the 6th of November has a symbolic meaning, being on the streets every day is what we should aim for. We do not forget any of the forcefully disappeared, Ni olvido ni perdon! Presentes ahora y siempre! We greet all people in the occupied territories from West Sahara to 48 and Gaza. From Abya Yala to Sudan and Congo. For autonomy, for anarchy, Sahara libre y feminista! PS. for all this white-washed anarchist still discussing the question of national flags, your time is over cuties, grow up and take a stand! Meet you on the streets, where we can actually be anarchic! The post “Anticolonial feminism comes to destroy all the pillars of our society” appeared first on Freedom News.

A RECORD 100 DISPLAY CASES WERE HIJACKED FOR BERLIN DEPORTATION CONFERENCE ~ from antifawerkstatt ~ The Tiergarten District Court has once again dismissed criminal proceedings for adbusting with fake police posters. A penal order had been issued, and a court date was set for November 6. The proceedings, which had dragged on for over two years, have now been dismissed. According to the Interior Ministers’ Conference in Berlin in February 2023, the communications guerrilla group “Against German National Police Violence” (GdP) hijacked a record-breaking 100 advertising display cases in S-Bahn and U-Bahn stations. They placed their own posters in these displays, designed as part of a police image campaign. The adbustings addressed police violence, racism, and deportations. Despite already having issued a penalty order for 60 daily rates of €30 each (a total of €1,800), the court now declined to proceed with the case. “We probably drew too much attention to police arbitrariness at the last court case in August!” said Kai N. Krieger from the Workshop for Antifascist Actions (W2A), who coordinated the solidarity work. The Interior Ministers’ Conference took place in Berlin in June 2023. This was a good opportunity to demonstrate to the public that this was a meeting of deportation ministers. The communications guerrilla group “Against German Nationalist Police Violence” (GdP) therefore organised the largest adbusting campaign in years in Berlin. The group hijacked a near-record 120 advertising display cases in subway and S-Bahn stations. The group designed the posters themselves. The style was inspired by the police’s official “110% Berlin” campaign. Illustrated with a document shredder, one of the poster motifs featured the slogan: “Our reappraisal of racism. 110% not.” The activists combined an image of a special task force (SEK) blowing down doors with the statement: “Deportation to a war zone? Gladly! 110% violence.” A PR advertising image of a young policewoman at a desk with a file folder is combined with the slogan “Racism? Let’s deport! 110% goodbye.” The police responded to the action with an immediate manhunt. Unfortunately, the officers arrested two people. They were searched, interrogated, and detained at the station until the early hours of the morning. According to the file, the State Security Service explained to the investigating federal police officers by phone on the day of the action that adbusting with self-brought posters was not a criminal offence. “If you don’t steal or break anything, it’s neither theft nor property damage,” explained Sam A. Hax at the time. The Berlin public prosecutor’s office had already issued a dismissal notice in 2020, which the adbusting scene promptly published as “Darfschein” (permission to allow) and which remains in effect today This was preceded by arbitrary and disproportionate police measures. From 2015 to 2019, the Berlin State Criminal Police Office (LKA) attempted, with enormous effort, to criminalise adbusting through house searches and reports to the Counter-Terrorism Center. After determined solidarity efforts, a failed court case in 2019, as well as dozens of parliamentary inquiries and extensive media coverage in 2020 and 2021, the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office quietly dropped all criminal proceedings against satirically altered advertising posters.  Nationwide Repercussions Public prosecutors from other cities have also followed Berlin’s example of not prosecuting satirical poster activism. For example, in Erlangen in 2021, Stuttgart in 2021, and Göttingen in 2024. In December 2023, the Federal Constitutional Court even declared three house searches illegal for anti-militarist adbusting. In a recent case heard at the Tiergarten District Court on August 25, 2025, the court was also unable to reach a verdict and discontinued the proceedings. However, after the adbusting campaign for the 2023 Conference of Women Interior Ministers, the Federal Police were unfazed by this legal situation. According to the file, the first idea for criminalisation came to them while searching the suspect. The person had a BVG day ticket with him. This ticket had not been validated. The police immediately initiated criminal proceedings for “obtaining services by deception.” The public prosecutor’s office quickly dropped the case: “There is no law in Germany that requires a valid ticket in police stations,” explained Kai N. Krieger, spokesperson for the Workshop for Antifascist Actions. But the cops blithely continued their investigation. They simply acted as if they had no knowledge of the legal situation and accused the activist of theft and property damage. They forced the company who owned the advertisements to report even the smallest, presumably old, damage to advertising display cases. Furthermore, the Federal Police, with at least two officers, spent nine months analysing video camera recordings at the train stations affected by the operation. “I would be happy if they were as dedicated to searching for my next stolen bike…” said Kai N. Krieger. “Maybe I should write slogans about police brutality and racism on it to get the cops interested?” No damage to property, no theft. Finally, the Federal Police handed over the investigation to the State Security Office (LKA 521). This office, too, suddenly, despite better judgement, insisted on the allegations of damage to property and theft and handed over the investigation results to the public prosecutor’s office. However, the LKA received a setback from there. The public prosecutor’s office discontinued the proceedings regarding these charges saying: “With regard to the offences of June 13, 2023 (sic!), the evidence of damage to property cannot be provided with the certainty required for indictment. […] The proceedings are therefore discontinued with regard to the allegations of damage to property and theft pursuant to Section 170, Paragraph 2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.” A new allegation was needed. Officers noticed that one of the posters featured a press photo from the Saxony police. It depicts a police officer smiling at the camera from her desk. The group “Against German Nationalist Police Violence (GdP)” captioned the poster with the slogan: “Racism? Let’s deport!” The LKA 521 found that this violated the police officer’s right to their own image under Section 22 of the Art Copyright Act. A parliamentary inquiry in the House of Representatives by Niklas Schrader revealed that the case had become a political issue. The public prosecutor’s office had initially declined jurisdiction. However, once the case was referred again to the public prosecutor’s office they now felt they had jurisdiction and requested a penal order. A penal order landed in the mailbox of one of the arrested individuals in the spring of 2025. The charge: violation of Section 22 of the Art Copyright Act. The Tiergarten District Court imposed a fine of 60 daily rates of €30 each, a total of €1,800. The defendant appealed the penalty order; the district court initially set a court date for November 6th. Section 23 of the German Art Copyright Act explicitly lists exceptions when a person’s image may be used without their consent. One of these exceptions is so-called “portraits from the area of contemporary history.” According to Kai N. Krieger, this is precisely such an image: “The police officer knowingly allowed herself to be photographed for a press photo, which the police still use to recruit new recruits.” Thus, she is not depicted as a private individual, but rather as part of the police’s public self-portrayal: “And it is precisely this public self-portrayal that adbustings satirically address. Of course, this image can be used for that purpose! The fact that the district court is using this section to criminalize satire critical of the police is a scandal!” But the trial never came to fruition. The Berlin adbusting scene was undeterred by the criminal proceedings and simply carried on. For example, during the 2024 European Football Championship several mega-billboards in major train stations were targeted. Adbusters pasted speech bubbles onto the posters. They made the policewoman pictured utter self-criticisms like, “…I’m so sick of this racist business!” and “…we’re actually just a bunch of state-paid violent criminals!” This campaign also received media feedback. Here, too, according to the file, the police invested a massive amount of manpower in watching videos. An officer at the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) 521 believed he recognized the second suspect from the action at the Interior Ministers’ Conference. Hoping to have a clear, easily prosecutable incident, the public prosecutor’s office dropped the ongoing proceedings against this individual for copyright infringement after the Interior Ministers’ Conference. They applied for a penal order for the adbusting action at the European Championships. This was a mistake, as it turned out. The trial against the second suspect for the European Championship campaign took place on August 25, 2025. Accompanied by a solidarity campaign, a rebellious audience, and lively media interest, the court dismissed the proceedings due to their triviality in exchange for a donation of €900.00. The fuss didn’t go unnoticed. Things were happening behind the scenes. Two weeks after the trial, the defendant in the adbusting campaign at the Interior Ministers’ Conference received a dismissal offer in exchange for a donation of €900. “Suddenly, the court and the public prosecutor’s office were no longer so concerned about pursuing adbusting campaigns that criticised the police!” Kai N. Krieger rejoiced. Our conclusion: Appeals against penal orders make sense. Public relations work on court cases also makes sense. Conducting court cases makes sense because they have an impact on other proceedings. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Machine translation The post Germany: Charges dropped against adbusters appeared first on Freedom News.

“SEVERAL INCENDIARY DEVICES LED TO THE COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE CASTLE”, CLAIMED LETTER—POLICE INVESTIGATING ~ from Contre-Attaque ~ “On the night of October 5-6, at 11:30 p.m., we gained access to the Thiergarten hunting lodge near Regensburg. Several incendiary devices led to the complete destruction of the castle,” explained a German-language statement published on the anti-capitalist network Indymedia. The text claimed responsibility action against the aristocrat Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, who represents “the most reactionary networks of the ruling class.” The Thurn und Taxis noble family is one of the richest in Germany, owning the most landed estates, and numerous castles and luxurious villas throughout the country. Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, a member of the Bavarian house, is a far-right activist. She is friends with Steve Bannon, the Trumpist ideologue who performed a Nazi salute earlier this year , as well as with far-right US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, authoritarian Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, and Cardinal Müller, who is linked to the most reactionary branch of the Church, and she makes no secret of her admiration for Donald Trump and Elon Musk. On the domestic political front, Gloria von Thurn und Taxis believes that “the best solution would be for the CDU [right] to govern with the AfD [the neo-Nazi party]. The problem is that we have too many complexes about that in Germany.” A rapprochement between the traditional right and the heirs of fascism to gain power: this is exactly the strategy implemented in France by billionaires like Stérin or Bolloré. The lords of our time everywhere dream of neo-fascist regimes. Gloria Von Thurn und Taxis also proclaims her sympathy for Beatrix von Storch, another German noblewoman, granddaughter of Hitler’s finance minister and member of the Catholic-Identitarian wing of the AfD. The far-right princess, who was known in her youth for her partying and wild evenings, now advocates a strict patriarchy: “It is interesting for us women to stay at home,” she declares, while calling for the abolition of abortion, which she considers “murder,” and believes that same-sex marriage is an “attack on the traditional family.” As early as 2001, Gloria von Thurn und Taxis shocked people after declaring on television that the high rate of AIDS in Africa was explained by the heat and the fact that “Black people really like to f***.” A few months ago, protesters hung from the trees of one of the aristocrat’s properties, chanting: “No place for Thurn und Taxis!” while demanding the family’s expropriation. This time, it was one of his palaces that burned. The building, which had served as a golf course and housed a gourmet restaurant since the 1970s, was completely destroyed, and the damage was estimated at several million euros. Responsibility for the fire came from a group called “Kommando Georg Elser,” the name of a communist resistance fighter who attempted to eliminate Hitler and senior officials in 1939. Unfortunately, the Nazis had left the stage earlier than planned, and the bomb exploded too late. This resistance fighter was deported and executed in 1945. The claim states that it is intended to send a “warning” to Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, whom it describes as a “big capitalist” with ties to far-right circles. The text also accuses the pavilion of having housed an agency involved in Nazi crimes during World War II. Police have not yet certified the authenticity of the text. In Germany, the far right is making a meteoric rise in the elections . Last February, the AfD came in second in the legislative elections, behind the right, and obtained nearly 20% of the vote. The party doubled its score in the previous elections, benefiting from the strong support of Elon Musk and a collapse of social democracy. At the same time, the ruling right is in the process of re-militarising Germany at a rapid pace, releasing colossal sums to make the Bundeswehr the “first army in Europe” and rehabilitating ceremonies honouring former German soldiers… -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Machine translation; Update: there have been questions about the authenticity of the letter. The indymedia post, quoted in the source article, has apparently been removed. The post Germany: ‘Anti-fascists’ claim responsibility for burning down far-right aristocrat’s castle appeared first on Freedom News.

IT WAS “BY NO MEANS OUR INTENTION” TO CUT POWER TO HOUSEHOLDS, SAYS COMMUNIQUÉ, BUT TO “TURN OFF THE JUICE TO THE MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX” ~ Juju Alerta ~ Anarchists have taken responsibility for a major power outage in southeast Berlin early Tuesday, after two high-voltage pylons were set on fire in Johannisthal, Treptow-Köpenick. The attack, which began around 3.30am according to police, cut electricity to some 43,000 households and 3,000 businesses. Entire areas were left without power, public transport was paralysed, traffic lights went dark, and mobile police units with loudspeaker vans were deployed to inform residents. The state security division of the Berlin criminal police has taken over the investigation. A police spokesperson said arson was suspected and that a political motive “could not be ruled out”. Later, a lengthy statement appeared on Indymedia in which a group of anarchists claimed the action, which they say targeted Adlershof technology park. The authors apologised to local residents for the blackout in private homes, saying this was “by no means our intention”, but described the collateral damage as “acceptable compared with the destruction of nature and the often deadly subjugation of people” caused by the targeted industries. The group singled out several companies, including Atos, Jenoptik, Siemens, and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), accusing them of supplying militaries, enabling border surveillance and fuelling environmental destruction. “Their well-sounding slogans of innovation, sustainability and progress are nothing more than a manoeuvre on the battlefield of discourse, to cover up that they are actually building instruments that bring death and destruction”, the statement declared. Tuesday’s fire is the most significant infrastructure sabotage in Berlin since a 2024 pylon attack cut power to Tesla’s Gigafactory in Grünheide. In recent weeks there have also been attacks on vehicles and businesses linked to the landlord of Rigaer 94, a left-radical housing project which faces multiple court cases and eviction proceedings this month. The post Berlin blackout: Anarchists claim attack on industrial park appeared first on Freedom News.

ERICH MÜHSAM AND BERTHA VON SUTTNER, ANARCHIST ANTIMILITARISM AND ORGANISED PACIFISM ~ Bernd Drücke, ZivilCourage ~ The Civil Courage editorial team asked me to outline Erich Mühsam’s anarchist-antimilitarist positions and to demonstrate the differences between pacifism and anarchist antimilitarism. I would like to answer this question with the help of Mühsam and another historical figure: Bertha von Suttner. She is an icon of organised pacifism, while Mühsam’s life and work are primarily honoured by anarchists and antifascists. BERTHA VON SUTTNER The Austrian pacifist Bertha von Suttner, born in 1843, is the namesake of the Bertha von Suttner Foundation. She was the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and also the one who inspired Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, to establish the prize. Her 1889 bestseller “Lay Down Your Arms” is a novel about the war horrors of her time. Like many pacifists today, she appealed to governments, calling for general disarmament and the peaceful settlement of disputes based on international law. Her book made her a star of the peace movement and inspired the founding of the “Austrian Society of Friends of Peace” in 1891. The social base of this society, which considered itself “apolitical,” was the liberal nobility. This also applied to the Peace Society founded in Berlin in 1892, whose successor organisation, the German Peace Society – United War Resisters (DFG-VK), is today the largest pacifist organizsation in Germany. ERICH MÜHSAM Erich Mühsam, born in 1878, was inspired by, among others, the Russian anarchists Peter Kropotkin, Mikhail Bakunin, and Leo Tolstoy. Along with Gustav Landauer, Rudolf Rocker, and Ernst Friedrich, he was one of the most influential German anarchists of his time. Mühsam was Jewish but, as an atheist, left Judaism. As a writer, he became famous for his satirical texts. His poems, such as “To obey means to lie” and “The Lamp Cleaner,” have been musically interpreted by Konstantin Wecker, Harry Rowohlt, Christoph Holzhöfer, Slime, and Dieter Süverkrüp, among others. During the First World War, he attempted – unsuccessfully – to establish an “International League of War Opponents.” In 1915, he was sentenced to six months in prison for refusing to serve in the military. He was a contributing author to, among others, the magazine “Der Sozialist,” published by the anarcho-pacifist Gustav Landauer, and to the “Weltbühne,” edited by Carl von Ossietzky. As a social revolutionary agitator, he played a key role in the proclamation of the Munich Soviet Republic in 1919. For this, he served five years in prison. He was editor of the anarchist monthly magazine “Fanal” from 1926 until its ban in 1931 – for “disparaging the Reich government.” On February 28, 1933, the well-known anti-fascist was arrested and, after imprisonment and torture, brutally murdered by SS men in the Oranienburg concentration camp on July 10, 1934. MÜHSAM AND SUTTNER Particularly interesting from an anti-militarist perspective is “Cain,” the anarchist “journal for humanity” (subtitle), which Mühsam published from 1911 to 1919. It could no longer be published during the First World War due to press censorship. After Bertha von Suttner’s death, Mühsam published an obituary for the Nobel laureate in “Kain” No. 4 in July 1914. He honoured her stance and emphasised their common goal, “world peace.” He also addressed the differences between pacifism and anarchist anti-militarism: “We do not believe in international understanding between states. For we know that states represent hostile demarcations between countries.” Mühsam was convinced that the populations, not the governments, would eliminate wars. “Capitalist states have capitalist interests, and capitalist interests know nothing of ideals. (…) As long as there are states and armies, there will be wars. We take up Bertha von Suttner’s battle cry, but we pass it on not to the rulers and governments, but to the peoples and armies: Lay down your arms!” Mühsam campaigned throughout his life for a social revolution and a liberal socialist society. As an anarchist, he saw the main cause of war in the state, in the rule of man over man, in the system of command and obedience that makes mass murder on command possible in the first place. In the German Empire, militarisation began as early as kindergarten. Children were hard put to the test by anti-Semitism, corporal punishment, and Prussian-style blind obedience. In Mühsam’s time, the German Armed Forces (DFG) was an elitist organization dominated by aristocrats and upper-class patrons. It did not support deserters and conscientious objectors and largely advocated a supposed “defensive war.” Like the SPD, many of these bourgeois pacifists did not want to abolish the military, but rather democratise it. Mühsam ridiculed the “peace congresses” they held, in the poem ‘Calendar 1913’ in Brennende Erde (“Burning Earth“), Munich 1920: “How bad things are in the world is determined at congresses. People drink, they dance, they talk happily, and everything remains the status quo.”   THE BROKEN RIFLE The Broken Rifle, now also used by pacifists and non-anarchist antimilitarists, was a symbol used almost exclusively by antimilitarist anarchists until the end of the First World War. It served them not only to agitate against militarism—often criminalised in the German Empire—and for conscientious objection, desertion, and sabotage of weapons production, but also as an identifying symbol. From January 1909, the Dutch anarchists of the “Internationale Anti-Militaristische Vereniging” (International Anti-Militarist Association) used it in the headline of their magazine “De Wapens neder” (The Netherlands). The anarcho-communist newspaper “Der Freie Arbeiter” also featured it in its headline from April 1909. After the First World War, the Broken Rifle was also often featured on the cover pages of the anarcho-syndicalist weekly “Der Syndikalist” and in anarchist youth magazines. WRI In 1921, the War Resisters’ International (WRI) was founded in the Netherlands, initially under the name “Paco” (the Esperanto word for peace). The WRI is a network of anarchist and non-anarchist antimilitarists, pacifists, and conscientious objectors. Its membership includes 90 organisations in 40 countries, including the German Research Foundation (DFG-VK), the IdK, and, since 1972, the non-violent anarchist monthly magazine Graswurzelrevolution (“Grassroots Revoluton“) Despite all the differences between pacifists and anarchist antimilitarists, many of them today can agree on the Broken Rifle as a symbol and the WRI Declaration as a maxim for action: “War is a crime against humanity. Therefore, I am firmly determined not to support any form of war and to strive to eliminate all causes of war.” Let us work together to stop the shift to the right and remilitarisation and enforce the human right to conscientious objection and asylum for deserters. The post Two different paths to world peace? appeared first on Freedom News.

DESPITE POLICE BAN, PREPARATIONS CONTINUE FOR RHEINMETALL PROTEST CAMP IN COLOGNE AT THE END OF AUGUST ~ Cristina Sykes ~ The camp, running between 26-31 August, combines workshops, discussions and cultural events with protests targeting arms companies across the Rhein-Ruhr region. The Rheinmetall Entwaffnen (“Disarm Rheinmetall”) alliance, formed in 2018, is organising the week-long gathering to oppose Germany’s leading arms manufacturer and the wider militarisation drive. Cologne police prohibited both the camp and a planned “parade” to the nearby Konrad-Adenauer barracks, citing risks of “radicalisation”. A court upheld the ban on 15 August, even pointing to the century-old anti-war slogan Krieg dem Krieg (“war on war”) as supposed evidence of violent intent. Organisers reject the reasoning as political repression. “The camp will take place – we are very optimistic,” said Mila, a spokesperson for the alliance. “We will resist the ban legally and politically. The authorities may want to silence the anti-militarist movement, but we will go ahead”. The camp is expected to draw hundreds of participants from Germany and abroad, including anarchist collectives, feminist groups, anti-fascists and internationalist networks. A dedicated anarchist barrio has been announced, with organisers reporting growing mobilisation since the ban was declared. Workshops will cover topics such as the reintroduction of conscription, weapons exports, the impact of militarisation on women, and new technologies like AI in warfare. International guests are also invited to share their struggles. “We want to build a global network against war and militarisation”, said Mila. “People come to share experiences so we can act together”. The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, home to Rheinmetall’s Düsseldorf headquarters, has become a focal point for opposition to the arms industry. Facilities in Cologne-Mülheim, Neuss and Weeze are all linked to the production of tanks, artillery and fighter jets. In recent days, activists marked a Siemens site in Munich with graffiti and banners denouncing its role in Bundeswehr automation. Another alliance, Rheinmetall Enteignen, has called for a demonstration outside Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger’s villa near Düsseldorf. The Clown Army is also mobilising While police and media point to clashes at past camps, organisers maintain that repression itself fuels confrontation. Die Linke MP Lea Reisner also criticised the Cologne ban as “a massive and unacceptable encroachment on the constitutional right of assembly”. For the organisers, the outcome is clear. “We will make the camp happen, with or without permission”, Mila said. “The repression only shows why our struggle against militarisation is necessary”. The post Germany: Anti-militarist camp to go ahead “with or without permission” appeared first on Freedom News.

AMAZON TARGETED FOR COMPLICITY IN ISRAEL’S GAZA GENOCIDE, TELEKOM FOR COOPERATION WITH THE GERMAN MILITARY AND ELON MUSK’S STARLINK—COMMUNIQÉ ~ Juju Alerta ~ An anti-militarist group has claimed responsibility for two arson attacks on commercial vehicles from Amazon and Deutsche Telekom in the early hours of Tuesday. The Amazon vans were torched on a site on Koppelweg, in the south of the German capital, while Telekom parking was situated in Lichtenberg in Berlin’s east, reported German media. No people were hurt. In a communiqé, the un-named group said it was “celebrating” the opening of the new Amazon Tower in Berlin, citing disgust with the company’s lending its computing power to the Israeli military (along with Google and Microsoft). “The destruction and starvation in Gaza unfolding before our eyes, the planned complete relocation of the population, and the AI-based massacre and mutilation of hundreds of thousands of people, including many children, are being calculated and stored on Amazon Web Services’ servers”, said the group. It also named Amazon as a key contractor for the American military and a “generous sponsor of King Trump’s military parade … State and capital in lockstep toward fascism”. Telekom was targeted due to its “support for the Bundeswehr” and as a “supplier of IT to border authorities, police, and intelligence services”, said the communiqué. The activists also cited T-Systems, which works in collaboration with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network. Citing Amazon’s competing Project Kuiper, the text said that “Musk and Bezos, with their corporate networks, are thus technocrats who not only profit from wars but can now influence their course”. “Demanding life against militarism and technologies of death is right, just as it is right to claim and defend antimilitarism against nationalism”, concluded the commuiqué, “It is right to liberate life from all militarism and war, from the state and patriarchy”. Amazon condemned the act, a spokesperson told Reuters, while Deutsche Telekom said it could not comment on pending investigations. These attacks are not unusual, noted observers. In 2020 and 2021 more than 400 cars were set alight in Berlin. In 2021, the total number of cars, including those that caught fire when vehicles in the vicinity were torched, surpassed 700. The post Berlin: Anti-militarists claim arson of Amazon and Deutsche Telekom vehicles appeared first on Freedom News.

AS A NEW CHANCELLOR IS INAUGURATED, GERMAN COMPANIES ARE PREPARING TO INCREASE ARMS PRODUCTION AND STOP RELYING ON US PROTECTION ~ Omar Kardoudi, El Confidencial ~ The geopolitical shift in the landscape brought about by Donald Trump’s arrival in the White House has forced European countries to develop their own defence plans. And moves among European companies have not been long in falling into line. Europe’s largest arms manufacturer, the German company Rheinmetall, has announced that it will reorganise its facilities in Berlin and Neuss, which until now manufactured automobile parts, to produce ammunition and other defence products. According to the company’s plans, both factories would become part of Rheinmetall’s Arms and Ammunition division and serve as hybrid plants. This, they claim, allows for the manufacture of weapons while ensuring part of the existing automobile production. The company states that no final decisions have yet been made regarding the new factory structure. However, they they have said that the facilities will not process explosives, but will instead produce protective and mechanical components for military use. “Above all, the plants will benefit from the industrial strength of the Rheinmetall Group as a leading supplier of military equipment, as well as from high customer demand in Germany and around the world,” Rheinmetall sources told Reuters. “We are well prepared and have no reason to be timid: we must act now for security in Europe,” said Armin Papperger, the company’s CEO. Rheinmetall is not the only German company transforming its civilian facilities into military production plants. Earlier this month, KNDS Deutschland announced its intention to convert its railway carriage manufacturing plant in Goerlitz, in the east of the country, to produce armoured vehicles such as the LEOPARD 2 tank and the PUMA infantry fighting vehicle. A BET ON MILITARY SPENDING Trump’s pressure on Europe to increase its military spending and the recent security summit held in Munich following the US president’s sidelining the EU and Ukraine in peace talks with Russia have caused the shares of European arms manufacturers to soar. The STOXX Aerospace and Defence Index (.SXPARO) reached all-time highs last week. Investors are betting that European governments will ramp up spending on weapons and military equipment to alleviate their defence dependence on the US. “For me, it will be an absolute priority to strengthen Europe as soon as possible so that, step by step, we truly stop depending on the United States,” said Friedrich Merz, the likely new German chancellor, in a television talk show with the main candidates in the German general elections. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image: Andre Potzler CC BY 2.0 The post Germany prepares for war appeared first on Freedom News.

THE COUNTRY IS SLOWLY DRIFTING INTO THE HANDS OF THE EXTREME RIGHT, REPEATING THE STEPS THAT BROUGHT ADOLF HITLER TO POWER ~ Nikita Ivansky ~ There is a certain feeling of despair when you talk to German antifascists or anarchists these days. The elections of 2025 were heavily influenced by the agenda pushed by the extreme right—migration, social benefits, and ‘peace’ with Russia. Only a few politicians actually tried to bring some political content to this discussion. The ruling Social Democrats (SPD) seemed to be trying to move further to the right and away from any social-democratic policies. Despite all these efforts, Olaf Scholz lost to his counterpart from the Christian Democrats (CDU), Friedrich Merz, a rich banker, Merkel’s former runner-up and soon the new Chancellor of Germany. The far right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is now the second-largest party. A few days before the election victory, during his speech in Munich, Merz said “There is no more ‘left’ in Germany. We rule now”. And although the CDU is still unlikely to allow the AfD into government, the new government’s political direction will follow the wind of right-wing populism. And although Merz promised “independence” from Washington, the German economy is still heavily dependent on trade with the US and the government will hesitate to confront Trump.  The reactionary policies of the SPD/Green/FDP coalition have already made headlines in major progressive newspapers. It was under an SPD Chancellor that Germany closed its borders to Schengen and now controls arrivals by land. Deportations of migrants and repression of their supporters and environmental activists reached new heights. And, in cooperation with authoritarian states, the German police continued to repress anti-fascist and anti-authoritarian movements. All this was done in an attempt to conquer the information space away from the extreme right. It is almost a miracle that the coalition fell apart before passing a new security law that would have set a new low for the freedoms of citizens and non-citizens living in the country. Image: Wikimedia Commons It is very clear that all of this is going to expand under Merz. Yet, attempts by right-wing politicians to become a new strongman within the EU have systematically failed. Macron’s power play made him a meme among political elites and a very hated personality among ordinary people in France. If Merz tries to destroy the welfare state, he can very quickly become the Macron of Germany. And just like Macron, the new chancellor can pave the way for the rise of the extreme right. The CDU’s desperate attempts to remain relevant under pressure from extreme right risk not only to bring cooperation with AfD, but also to move ruling parties further into camp of extreme right politics.  The lack of a consolidated response to the rise of fascism in Germany repeats the scenario of the past, with political parties playing directly into the hands of the extreme right. With this realisation, the liberals and moderate centre-left have no strategy for approaching the current situation. The strong belief in representative democracy threatens to destroy liberal,s while grassroots organising, crippled by the work of NGOs, seem to have too little political power to bring about change.  The hopeful attitude created by the gains of the Left Party can be poisoned very quickly, taking into account that there are a lot of reactionary forces within it, which, for example, would prevent support to Ukraine in favour of further work with Putin. But what is certain is that the times to come will put a lot of pressure on any progressive forces in Germany. It is unclear whether the left and anarchists are ready for this challenge. The post German elections: On the way to a new Reich? appeared first on Freedom News.