By the Right - Back to the future with Benito and Adolf
Telegraph
Benito Mussolini speeches become Apple iTunes hit A collection of speeches by Benito Mussolini has become an unlikely and controversial hit on the internet.
By Nick Squires in Rome Published: 2:02PM GMT 28 Jan 2010 Since the application was launched on Jan 21, it has been downloaded about 1,000 times a day Photo: AP The speeches, the last of which was delivered in 1938 when Italy introduced laws which discriminated against Jews, are the second-most downloaded application on the Italian version of Apple's iTunes website. The popularity of the application, called iMussolini, caused outrage among some Italians in the week that the country commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day – the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet forces. The website was inundated with comments condemning the continuing fascination with Mussolini and a member of the Italian Communist Party called the application "disgraceful". It contains 100 of Il Duce's speeches and can be bought for 79 euro cents, or 68 pence. It was downloaded more than a video game based on the blockbuster science fiction film Avatar. The most downloaded item was a wallpaper application. The Mussolini application was created by a 25-year-old from Naples, Luigi Marino, who said he in no way wanted to "eulogise" the fascist era. Instead he wanted to document a "sad page in the history of our country", he said in a disclaimer on the AppStore site. Since the application was launched on Jan 21, it has been downloaded about
1,000 times a day. "The first day it was downloaded only 55 times, the second day more than
600 and from the third day I had on average 1,000 downloads a day," Mr Marino said. He said he was thinking of collating the speeches of other historical figures and offering them for sale. "To avoid controversy, maybe I'll do one on Gandhi," he said. Its popularity was "stunning", said La Repubblica newspaper, given that iTunes is popular with the Facebook generation, rather than "nostalgic old people and historians of fascism". Mussolini was killed by anti-fascist partisans in northern Italy at the end of the war. But 65 years after he was strung up alongside his lover, Mussolini souvenirs continue to do a brisk trade online and in his hometown of Predappio, in north-eastern Italy. Fascist memorabilia includes Mussolini busts, an aftershave called Nostalgia contained in a box bearing the fascist eagle symbol, and sweatshirts bearing the initials WIDS – Viva Il Duce Sempre (Mussolini Lives Forever).
Hitler's Mein Kampf to go on sale in Germany for first time in 70 years
By Allan Hall Last updated at 7:03 PM on 04th February 2010
Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's autobiography 'Mein Kampf' - My Struggle - is to be re-published in Germany after being banned since the end of WW2.
The current copyright on the book expires in five years - and now a historical organisation in Germany has pledged to publish its own edition in 2015.
The hate-filled book with its diatribes against Jews and Slavs and the prophecy of a German war of conquest in the east has been available around the world since it was written.
However successive German governments fearing a large scale neo-Nazi revival have forbidden it to be published in the country Austrian-born Hitler led to ruin.
Also, under the post-1945 German constitution, the dissemination of Nazi philosophy has been a crime punishable by fines and imprisonment.
But the copyright, held by the state of Bavaria where the Nazi movement began life in the 1920's, expires in 2015, 70 years after the death of its author in his Berlin bunker.
Today the Munich-based Institute of Contemporary History (IfZ) pledged to publish an 'annotated version' with historical notes that it hopes will see the book used in schools and colleges.
The book is not available in shops or libraries in Germany.
The finance ministry in Bavaria said it had still not decided whether to give its permission but it is understood that with the lapse in copyright, the IfZ will not need the green light from it.
'Besides, we think our version, with sensible notes and comments pointing out the falsity of much of what he wrote, will be far better than neo-Nazis putting out their own versions,' said the IfZ.
Jewish leaders in Germany have already pledged their support for the project, saying they believe it 'would prevent neo-Nazi from profiteering from Mein Kampf while an aggressive and enlightening engagement with the book would doubtless remove many of its false, persisting myths.'
The IfZ wants the agreement of the finance ministry in Bavaria before the 2015 deadline so as to begin work on the project right away.
Mein Kampf became a better seller than the Bible in the Third Reich.
Hitler became a multi-millionaire through royalties while newspapers around the world, including some in the UK, serialised his work.
It was written when he was sentenced to five years in jail for attempting to overthrow the government in 1924.
It is filled with prejudices and hatreds of an uneducated man and within its pages are endless rants against the Jews, who he would soon attempt to eliminate altogether.
'The Jewish youth lies in wait for hours on end... spying on the unsuspicious German girl he plans to seduce. He wants to contaminate her blood and remove her from the bosom of her own people.
'The Jew hates the white race and wants to lower its cultural level so that the Jews might dominate,' he wrote.
In another passage he foretells his plans for the conquest of Russia, writing: 'We must eliminate the disproportion between our population and our area...
'Some of this land can be obtained from Russia. We must secure for the German people the land and soil to which they are entitled.'
Over 12 million copies were sold in Nazi Germany. Recently an edition of the book became a best seller in Turkey.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-
1248535/Hitlers-Mein-Kampf-sale-Germany-time-70-years.html#ixzz0ebBjPp7F
Telegraph
Church of England tells clergy not to invite BNP candidates to hustings British National Party candidates should not be invited to election hustings in church halls, the Church of England has told clergy.
By Martin Beckford Published: 7:25PM GMT 01 Feb 2010
Vicars have also been warned to avoid talking to members of the far-right party or being caught photographed with them, in case the images are used in their campaign leaflets. The Church fears the BNP, which won two seats in the European Parliament last year, is trying to shrug off its extremist image by portraying itself as a “guardian of British Christian heritage”. In response, the Archbishops’ Council has issued detailed guidance on how clergy should deal with “far right political parties, extremist groups and racist politics”. It comes after the Church’s governing body, the General Synod, voted a year ago to ban clergy and lay workers from joining organisations that “contradict the duty to promote race equality”. The Rev Dr Malcolm Brown, Director of Mission and Public Affairs, said: “The note is advisory and seeks to enable church leaders to discern an appropriate course of action within areas where community relations are often fragile or fragmented. Our faith calls us to develop and sustain the hope and vision that things can be different.” The guidance, first published in 2007 but now expanded ahead of the general election and council polls in May, tells clergy that they do not have to invite BNP candidates for election hustings held in church halls as long as the other parties’ representatives declare the fact. It states: “Churches are under no legal obligation to include the BNP in election hustings meetings, or give space to such parties for public meetings, if they consider this ‘association’ could have detrimental affect on their reputation and activities (as charities). “If candidates participate in an event that does not include all candidates in a constituency they need to declare this on their election returns." The document says that if BNP candidates are elected to a local authority, priests in the area should not contact them personally and refuse any requests to hire church halls. It says: “Church leaders need to take care when attending functions at which councillors from far-right parties may be present (not least such events as Remembrance Day services). For example: photographs of conversations can be used to imply church support for such councillors and their policies. “It is not advisable to meet groups promoting racist policies as this gives them credibility and publicity. It is advisable not to give them a platform in churches or church buildings, as this can be used to suggest support for their policies (even by implication).” However it adds that public sector staff have no choice who they work with and “need your prayers”. The guidance advises clergy on how to deal with a new wave of protests by the English Defence League, which organises marches against radical Islam but which is accused of hostility to all Muslims. Its events, often attended by football hooligans, have descended into race riots. It says: “Direct confrontation is inadvisable. Church leaders need to coordinate with police and other community leaders (particularly those being targeted) when a local demonstration is advertised. A prayer vigil followed by the advice to avoid the location of the demonstration has enabled the damage of potentially incendiary situations to be limited.”
Letter sent to the VC, DSU and DUS by the NUS: Dear Vice Chancellor, Students' Union and Debating Society,
Re: National Party invited to speak at "Debate on Multiculturalism" called by Durham Debating Society
In relation to the event that is to take place next week, we are writing to remind you of your duties to those students that are most affected by the threat of the British National Party. You are bound under Race Relations legislation to promote equality of opportunity, eliminate racial discrimination, as well as fulfil the requirements of your race equality policy. We can confidently tell you that inviting members of the British National Party to address your students does not fulfil these requirements and therefore you may bring legal consequences upon yourselves.
Andrew Brons was a member of the National Socialist Movement, a group deliberately founded on Hitler's birthday and responsible for a number of arson attacks on synagogues in the 1960s. He was also the chairman of the National Front (1980-1984) and co-edited their journal. The same Andrew Brons you would like to speak has been seen shouting "Death to Jews", "White Power" and when approached by a Black police constable said "inferior beings like yourself probably do not understand the principle of free speech". The other speaker you have invited, Chris Beverley, is the BNP's main liaison with the Nazi-influenced National Democratic Party in Germany and attended the European National Front in 2007.
This proposed event also poses a health and safety risk to a many of your students. Where the BNP have been active in the past, racist attacks have always increased. When the University of Oxford Union decided to invite BNP leader Nick Griffin to a "debate", students were victims of physical and verbal abuse leading up to and on the day of the event itself. The situation you find yourself in is not unique, but other universities have decided to put the welfare and equal opportunities of their students first and cancel such events.
Their electoral success is irrelevant, particularly when you recognise the abhorrent views they hold and the violent and illegal actions they and members of their organisation have been involved in. We are advocates of free speech and agree that people should be allowed to say whatever they want regardless of whether we agree with it or not, but we also recognise that with this freedom comes responsibility, and if their speech is to the detriment of others' safety, that freedom is negated. We expect you would not allow someone to speak on the right to bear arms on campus or paedophiles whose main message is that sex with minors is acceptable as long as they consent. Yet you would allow a group that thinks that a number of your students do not even have the right to be in this country headline your event.
We were also wondering if you were aware that the Equality and Human Rights Commission has concluded that the membership criteria of the BNP is in breach of human rights legislation. Currently their membership only allows 'white indigenous' people to join. Is this the type of organisation that the University of Durham supports and welcomes? Given the make up of your student body we find it quite shocking that the invitation was even sent. It is even worse that your institution gladly accepts the fees of Jewish, Muslim, LGBT and Black students, many of them on international fees, and yet have given little thought to their right to live and study free from the threat of violent discrimination.
The debating society should cancel this event and offer apologies for the offence that it has caused. Whilst we respect that the students' union cannot dictate to the debating society, it does have the right to impose sanctions on those students that knowingly engage in infringing on the equal opportunities of others. Ultimately it appears that the power in this situation lies with the university and we hope that you will act in the best interests of your students and cancel the event.
Should you fail to listen to our advice you will have a colossal demonstration on your hands. The National Union of Students, Unite Against Fascism, and other anti-fascist organisations are already mobilising nationally and organising coach loads of students to demonstrate at your university on Friday evening. This will no doubt bring with it a lot of negative media attention and if any students are hurt in and around this event responsibility will lie with you.
We would appreciate it if you could outline how you will now proceed with this issue and ensure that those students who are under threat from the BNP's racist and homophobic principles will be protected.
We await your prompt response.
Regards,
Bellavia Ribeiro-Addy NUS Black Students' Officer NUS Anti-Racism, Anti-Fascism Convenor
Daf Adley NUS LGBT Officer NUS Anti-Racism, Anti-Fascism Committee
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Bob Bailey, the BNP’s London organiser and leader of the opposition on Barking council, was turned away last night from a ceremony conferring the freedom of the borough on the footballer Sir Trevor Brooking and the Royal Anglian Regiment. He had been due to speak at the event.
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That much is common ground – but the reasons are heavily contested. The council’s ruling Labour group has issued a press release claiming that at the reception preceding the ceremony, Cllr Bailey was “worse for wear” and “under the influence.”
The deputy leader of the council, Robert Little, who was at the event, claimed Cllr Bailey was “clearly under the influence of alcohol and was in no fit state to deliver any speech. In all my time as a councillor I have never seen anyone behave in such a way,” he said. “It was embarrassing.”
Cllr Bailey himself, contacted today, flatly denied that he had been drinking and said the claims about his behaviour were “total rubbish.” He told me: “You know the BNP are against the war in Afghanistan and I was barred from attending the event because they were worried I would say something against the war.”
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/an...-he-denies-it/
Telegraph
French mayor displays portrait of Philippe Petain A French mayor has been accused of insulting the memory of British soldiers who died liberating his town by displaying a portrait of a notorious Nazi collaborator.
By Peter Allen in Paris Published: 7:00AM GMT 25 Jan 2010
Philippe Petain, left, meets Adolf Hitler in 1940 Photo: REX Bernard Hoye, the mayor of Gonneville-sur-Mer, in Normandy, has defied an appeal by the French government by insisting on displaying in his town hall a picture of Philippe Petain, the Vichy regime leader who brought shame on his country during the Second World War. This is despite the fact that British commandos including the Royal Marines and SAS spent days fighting off the town’s German garrison in the weeks after D-Day.
Christian Leyrit, the Lower Normandy prefect who represents the Paris government, has written to Mr Hoye “in the strongest possible terms” telling him to remove Petain’s picture “immediately”. “This portrait cannot be placed alongside the official portraits hung in a town hall, which is a highly symbolic place for the French Republic,” Mr Leyrit wrote. His words reflect growing disgust at an attempt by some in France to try and rehabilitate the memory of Petain, who was a Gallic hero during the First World War. Petain was imprisoned after the 1944 liberation of France after setting up a pro-Nazi regime in the spa town of Vichy, effectively abolishing the French Republic to set up a German slave state, collaborating in everything including the persecution of Jews. Petain died in disgrace in 1951. Mr Leyrit wrote to Mr Hoye following a complaint by a civil rights group, the International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism (Licra). In a strongly worded letter, Licra wrote that it was deplorable that the prefect was “obliged to give lessons of history and law” to the mayor of a Norman town only a few months after ceremonies marking the 65th anniversary of the allied landings. It said: “Keeping the picture on show is an affront to the memory of the victims of Petain’s anti-Semitic persecutions, of the resistance and the Allied soldiers.” Mr Hoye, who was elected mayor of Gonneville in 2008 as an independent, said: “This picture has been around for decades. Petain appears in a gallery of portraits of French heads of state. Whether they are controversial or not, I don’t have to take sides, unlike the Licra which is not objective.” He said there was no question of him removing the portrait, and that nobody else had the power to do so. After weeks of fierce fighting, Gonneville-sur-mer was finally liberated in mid-August 1944 by British commandos who had fought their way up from the Normandy beachhead
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