The stupid last minute scandal was not Möllemanns fault - it was the jewish council that made a scandal out of it. If they hadn´t been jumping up and down for days...

Fortunately something like this wouldn´t be possible today, as they don´t have that influence anymore.

Heroes like Michel Friedman did cost the jewish community what can be called the bonus of moral superiority. That was their biggest source of influence in Germany. With that well poisened, their power has been deteriorating to a reasonable level.

"That they would have (or have had) an enormous amount influence in Germany is nothing but a silly anti-Semitic myth."

Destroying the political future of politicians including a former vice chancellor like Möllemann does not need enormous influence? Need I remind you of the fact that the FDP leadership did not act against Mölleman UNTIL the jewish council started to jump up and down and initiated a public campaign? Changing the stance of the leadership of an established party is no evidence of big influence?

Oh and what was the fate of former austrian President and UN-general-secretary Kurt Waldheim?

Fortunately after Hohmann there were no more such cases in the last years anymore. At some point, every goodwill is overexcited.

David... when will you get over the past?
Since the 90s I thought it will take the german society forever to do so while foreigners have left it long behind themselves, but recently it more and more starts looking the other way around.

For the Baden-Würtemberger Filbinger obviously was a great "Landesvater" - and everyone seems to get the idea what he/she would have been doing in his situation in the last Reich. That´s the reason why there probably never was any need for an "attempt to rehabilitate" him in his state.

Make a guess: What would his former Landeskinder want to happen in response to this case? It was reported that Oettinger recently regretted there are no more wars in Europe and this didn´t harm his popularity either.

Just ask yourself - who is supporting the current campaign? Is it the public opinion? Is it the masses in Stuttgart demanding his head?
Again this campaign is supported by nobody else than the jewish council and the kind of politicians that seem to struggle for the title of the one and only "Bundesempörungsbeauftragte(r)" :)

When Merkel now says she would have wanted Oettinger to mention "critical aspects" of Filbingers biography, this is a mere appeasement to the well oiled political outrage machingery in Berlin.

I have no doubt that if Oettinger would work on the federal level, he would have been forced to resign by a storm of ambitious politicians who drool over media attention. But in the province, even the state leader of the green party attented the funeral. And THIS speaks volumes.

While Oettingers speech might not have been fully correct, it surely was courageous and deserves acknowledgement.

David - Filbinger was no jew, he killed no jews - do you get it? What in the hell makes the jewish council interfere here? I hope this makes it clear that they are somewhat overrepresented in this country´s politics.

Playing the tune of the moral guard and swinging the index finger all the time doesn´t exactly add to their popularity. This is what really causes anti-jewish sentiments. While everyone else in the society is fed up with this constant repetition, they just can´t stop it.

Well you are right in one way: We shouldn´t blame them. It worked for more than 50 years now, they would be stupid not to try it for the next 50. To be precise, I blame those that still listen to them.

First of all not every group has "condemned" him. The chancellor for example expressed her concerns that she would have wanted Oettinger - aside from Filbinger´s "great achievements" - to mention the "critical points" as well. Not what can be considered a condemnation.

As regards the other parties: Did you notice that this applies mostly to the federal level while those in the state of Oettinger remained quite calm about it? The latter ones have to respect the sympathies of their elctorate and act accordingly.

And now it is getting crucial: when did their partiy comrades in Berlin start to critizise Oettinger - BEFORE or AFTER the jewish council began jumping up and down?
You may want to close your eyes and repeat you standartized slogans, but I guess your company is shrinking :)

David - are you a jew yourself by any chance?

Jorg - as I said already: Filbinger was no jew and he killed none. Can you tell me what makes the jewish council act in this case? Do you know a reason why their stance is quoted in every story about this case?

I am unwilling to accept the fact that a minority of not even 0.02 % of the total population shall decide who is allowed to be a leading politician in this country. You can hardly claim this to be an obsession. Politics in this country is here to serve the interests of the people and not to take bows before a very special part of the people.

Again as I said - I don´t blame them exerting this infuence, they would be stupid not to do. It is simply about time we stop listening to them.

"He should have known what would happen if he praised Filbinger."

He probably did. He probably also knew that Filbinger might not have been a Widerstandskämpfer at all. Maybe he simply wanted to end this chapter once and for all this way. Declaring every ordinary man as a 'saint of the Bundesrepublik' (=Widerstandskämpfer) contributes to an ending of the social struggle that has bound our society long enough. Proceeding this way in his position takes a lot of courage. But without courageous men, nothing will change for the better.

Come on David, what happens to deserters in ANY country on this planet? At least try to have a fair point of view. Just imagine you serve an army and you don´t approve it´s actions. It is still your army and falling into its back will only harm your own comrades who have nothing to do with it. Plus every deserter knew what will happen if they are caught.

"Lying about history is not only harmful to Jews - who must speak up for the truth"

Maybe I don´t understand this expression - but why are they responsible for "speaking up for the truth"? And if so, why are they not awarded with a 'ministry of truth' then? :)

"I fail to see what is courageous about telling a terrible lie."

I explained above what is courageous about it. He might even lose his position in the end, which means he was willing to sacrifice it for a bigger goal. How many politicians are willing to act this way?

Oh my goodness, I intended to put "happen" into the past tense :)

Well I can´t look into Oettinger´s head, so I can only guess what bigger goal might have motivated him.

Maybe he wanted to send a signal that it is about time that we make peace within our society and finally end the struggle that has disunited us for decades!

That would surely be a bigger goal.

Hmmm that´s a point. Maybe he also wanted to secure his own position in the CDU in Baden-Würtemberg. I read that he has a young rival in his party there, and that guy (I think his name was Mappus) seems to have closer ties to the conservative part of the party than Oettinger had. So Oettinger might have tried to regain their support by the speech.

This is where I read this thought:

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,477109-2,00.html

Do you live closer to the state than I do? I´m from north-east Bavaria.