German pol distances himself from eulogy for Nazi judge
Baden-Württemberg governor Günther Oettinger has distanced himself from his own comments.
It took Günther Oettinger, governor of the south-western German state Baden-Württemberg, almost a week, but on Monday, he finally withdrew his comments delivered at the funeral for former Baden-Württemberg governor and ex-Nazi Hans Filbinger.
"I no longer adhere to my formulation," Oettinger said at a meeting of the Christian Democrat party leadership on Monday. "Rather, I am distancing myself from it."
In his eulogy last Wednesday, Oettinger had said that Filbinger -- a judge with the German navy during World War II -- had not actually been a Nazi and had even been against the National Socialist ideology. He also said that no one had died as a result of verdicts handed down by Filbinger.
The storm of protest was immediate and intense. Historians trotted out proof that Filbinger had not only supported the system, but had also sentenced a deserter to death just days before the end of the war. He also sentenced two others to death in absentia -- sentences which were never carried out. Politicians of many stripes called for his resignation. Even German Chancellor Angela Merkel -- like Oettinger a member of the Christian Democrat party -- saw fit to censure him.
Read entire article at Der Spiegel Online
It took Günther Oettinger, governor of the south-western German state Baden-Württemberg, almost a week, but on Monday, he finally withdrew his comments delivered at the funeral for former Baden-Württemberg governor and ex-Nazi Hans Filbinger.
"I no longer adhere to my formulation," Oettinger said at a meeting of the Christian Democrat party leadership on Monday. "Rather, I am distancing myself from it."
In his eulogy last Wednesday, Oettinger had said that Filbinger -- a judge with the German navy during World War II -- had not actually been a Nazi and had even been against the National Socialist ideology. He also said that no one had died as a result of verdicts handed down by Filbinger.
The storm of protest was immediate and intense. Historians trotted out proof that Filbinger had not only supported the system, but had also sentenced a deserter to death just days before the end of the war. He also sentenced two others to death in absentia -- sentences which were never carried out. Politicians of many stripes called for his resignation. Even German Chancellor Angela Merkel -- like Oettinger a member of the Christian Democrat party -- saw fit to censure him.