Manfred Roeder (6 February 1929 – 30 July 2014) was a German lawyer and Neo-Nazi terrorist. Roeder was a prominent Holocaust denier. He has also been described as an early representative of the Reichsbürger movement.[1]
By 1974, Roeder had begun to believe in the conspiracy theory that West Germany's constitution was invalid, as the German Reich had allegedly never ceased to exist. To affirm his belief, he contacted Karl Dönitz, the last leader of Nazi Germany. Dönitz regarded Roeder's ideas as ridiculous, and firmly stated that he no longer considered himself President of Germany. However, Roeder saw this as a resignation declaration; thus, he declared himself Dönitz's successor as the "Reichsverweser" (i.e. new German head of state) and announced a new government in form of the "Freiheitsbewegung Deutsches Reich" (Freedom Movement German Reich). Researcher Tobias Ginsburg argued that this move probably made Roeder the first Reichsbürger to claim a high-ranking title for himself. His activities as conspiracy theorist ultimately led Roeder to become a militant activist and eventually outright terrorist.[1]
Roeder's career was marked by an abundance of criminal charges, including resistance against state authority,[2] and battery. In 1980 the Deutsche Aktionsgruppen [de] ("German Action Groups"), a neo-Nazi organisation founded by Roeder, carried out attacks against buildings that housed foreign workers and asylum seekers.[2][5][6] Two people were murdered in these attacks. Roeder was classified as a terrorist by German legal authorities as a result of these activities.[7]
In 1997, the British current affairs program Panorama said that in 1995, Roeder had appeared, by invitation, as a speaker at the German military's officer training academy[2] in Hamburg. This scandal, as well as the fact that Roeder had received financial donations from the military, led to the sacking of the academy's commander[7][8] and the instatement of Rear-Admiral Rudolf Lange[9] as his replacement, with the goal of restoring the good reputation of the academy.
In 1997, Roeder stood as the candidate of the far-right NPD in Stralsund in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern during the parliamentary elections,[2][10] promoting himself as "Chancellor alternative 1998", but was unsuccessful.
Because of his integral role in a terrorist organisation Roeder was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 1982.[2][7][12] He had planned a fire bomb attack which killed two Vietnamese refugees in August 1980.[13] He was released in 1990,[12] after serving two-thirds of his sentence, for good behaviour and a perceived social rehabilitation.
In 1996 Roeder, together with other far-right extremists, perpetrated an attack on an exhibition in Erfurt detailing the role of the Wehrmacht in Nazi Germany, for which he was charged with property damage and fined DM-4,500.[14] After being sentenced to prison by the state courts of Schwerin[15] and Rostock[16] under Germany's Volksverhetzung law (incitement to hatred), and for other crimes, he was given a further ten months in September 2004 by the state court of Frankfurt for contempt of the state.[17] In February 2005, a further sentencing for the same crime was passed by the court of Schwalmstadt.[18] On 12 May 2005, he began a prison sentence in Gießen, but he was released shortly after on health grounds.[17]
^ abcdefg„Porno-Anwalt“ als Größe der Neonazis 1 November 2013 at the Wayback MachineBergsträßer Anzeiger, 7 July 2007. (Large pdf) (in German)
^Anti-Roeder-Arbeitskreis, NSDAP-Propagandisten unter der Lupe – Dokumentation, Hamburg 1978, p. 20 (German)
^Detlef Junker, Philipp Gassert and Wilfried Mausbach (2004). The United States and Germany in the era of the Cold War, 1945-1990. Vol. 2. Cambridge University Press. pp. 497–498. ISBN9780521834209.
^David Charters (1994). The deadly sin of terrorism: its effect on democracy and civil liberty in six countries. Greenwood. p. 47. ISBN9780313289644.
^Lee Griffith (2004). The war on terrorism and the terror of God. Wm. B. Eerdmans. p. 53. ISBN9780802828606.
^ abcBundeswehr will im Fall Roeder hart durchgreifen Die Welt, 8 December 1997. (in German)
^Rühe zieht Konsequenzen im Fall Roeder Rüdiger Moniac, Die Welt, 9 December 1997. (in German)
^Volker Rühe: Auf Kampfstation Focus, 15 December 1997. (in German)
^Ein notorisch Rechtsextremer will nach Bonn Andreas Baumann, Die Welt, 18 September 1998. (in German)
^"Rechtsextremist Roeder starb 85-jährig in Neukirchen | Politik" (in German). Hna.de. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
^ abRand C. Lewis (1996). The Neo-Nazis and German Unification. Greenwood. p. 25. ISBN9780275956387. Preview at Google Books.
^"Four German neo-Nazis sentenced". UPI. 28 June 1982. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
^Die Wehrmachtsausstellung zwischen Krawallen und Kritik Der Spiegel, 27 November 2001. (in German)
^Volksverhetzung: Neonazi Roeder muss ins Gefängnis Der Spiegel, 29 June 2001. (in German)
^German Neo-Nazi sentenced to two years in prison 6 July 2011 at the Wayback MachineORF, 30 January 2002.
^ abBewährung wegen schlechter Gesundheit Archived 7 September 2012 at archive.today, 13 November 2009 (in German)
^Die "KRR"-FAQ - Archiv 2005 (Januar bis März) (German)
Works citededit
Ginsburg, Tobias (2022) [1st pub. 2019]. Die Reise ins Reich: Unter Rechtsextremisten, Reichsbürgern und anderen Verschwörungstheoretikern [Journey into the Reich: Among far-right extremists, Reich Citizens and other conspiracy theorists] (2nd ed.). Hamburg: Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag. ISBN978-3-499-00456-8.
Much of this article is translated from the German Wikipedia article of 5 March 2007.
External linksedit
Media related to Manfred Roeder (far-right activist) at Wikimedia Commons
April 10, 2024
manfred, roeder, german, military, judge, 1900, 1971, judge, february, 1929, july, 2014, german, lawyer, nazi, terrorist, roeder, prominent, holocaust, denier, also, been, described, early, representative, reichsbürger, movement, 2009, contents, life, criminal. For the German military judge 1900 1971 see Manfred Roeder judge Manfred Roeder 6 February 1929 30 July 2014 was a German lawyer and Neo Nazi terrorist Roeder was a prominent Holocaust denier He has also been described as an early representative of the Reichsburger movement 1 Manfred Roeder in 2009 Contents 1 Life 2 Criminal record 3 References 3 1 Works cited 4 External linksLife editBorn in Berlin Roeder attended the National Political Institute of Education in Plon 2 As a teenage soldier he participated in the Battle of Berlin in 1945 3 After the Second World War he was for a time a member of Germany s CDU party After leaving the party he forged ties with the far right political scene in Germany and abroad including the Ku Klux Klan 2 4 By 1974 Roeder had begun to believe in the conspiracy theory that West Germany s constitution was invalid as the German Reich had allegedly never ceased to exist To affirm his belief he contacted Karl Donitz the last leader of Nazi Germany Donitz regarded Roeder s ideas as ridiculous and firmly stated that he no longer considered himself President of Germany However Roeder saw this as a resignation declaration thus he declared himself Donitz s successor as the Reichsverweser i e new German head of state and announced a new government in form of the Freiheitsbewegung Deutsches Reich Freedom Movement German Reich Researcher Tobias Ginsburg argued that this move probably made Roeder the first Reichsburger to claim a high ranking title for himself His activities as conspiracy theorist ultimately led Roeder to become a militant activist and eventually outright terrorist 1 Roeder s career was marked by an abundance of criminal charges including resistance against state authority 2 and battery In 1980 the Deutsche Aktionsgruppen de German Action Groups a neo Nazi organisation founded by Roeder carried out attacks against buildings that housed foreign workers and asylum seekers 2 5 6 Two people were murdered in these attacks Roeder was classified as a terrorist by German legal authorities as a result of these activities 7 In 1997 the British current affairs program Panorama said that in 1995 Roeder had appeared by invitation as a speaker at the German military s officer training academy 2 in Hamburg This scandal as well as the fact that Roeder had received financial donations from the military led to the sacking of the academy s commander 7 8 and the instatement of Rear Admiral Rudolf Lange 9 as his replacement with the goal of restoring the good reputation of the academy In 1997 Roeder stood as the candidate of the far right NPD in Stralsund in Mecklenburg Vorpommern during the parliamentary elections 2 10 promoting himself as Chancellor alternative 1998 but was unsuccessful Roeder died on 30 July 2014 at the age of 85 11 Criminal record editBecause of his integral role in a terrorist organisation Roeder was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 1982 2 7 12 He had planned a fire bomb attack which killed two Vietnamese refugees in August 1980 13 He was released in 1990 12 after serving two thirds of his sentence for good behaviour and a perceived social rehabilitation In 1996 Roeder together with other far right extremists perpetrated an attack on an exhibition in Erfurt detailing the role of the Wehrmacht in Nazi Germany for which he was charged with property damage and fined DM 4 500 14 After being sentenced to prison by the state courts of Schwerin 15 and Rostock 16 under Germany s Volksverhetzung law incitement to hatred and for other crimes he was given a further ten months in September 2004 by the state court of Frankfurt for contempt of the state 17 In February 2005 a further sentencing for the same crime was passed by the court of Schwalmstadt 18 On 12 May 2005 he began a prison sentence in Giessen but he was released shortly after on health grounds 17 References edit a b Ginsburg 2022 p 67 a b c d e f g Porno Anwalt als Grosse der Neonazis Archived 1 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine Bergstrasser Anzeiger 7 July 2007 Large pdf in German Anti Roeder Arbeitskreis NSDAP Propagandisten unter der Lupe Dokumentation Hamburg 1978 p 20 German Detlef Junker Philipp Gassert and Wilfried Mausbach 2004 The United States and Germany in the era of the Cold War 1945 1990 Vol 2 Cambridge University Press pp 497 498 ISBN 9780521834209 David Charters 1994 The deadly sin of terrorism its effect on democracy and civil liberty in six countries Greenwood p 47 ISBN 9780313289644 Lee Griffith 2004 The war on terrorism and the terror of God Wm B Eerdmans p 53 ISBN 9780802828606 a b c Bundeswehr will im Fall Roeder hart durchgreifen Die Welt 8 December 1997 in German Ruhe zieht Konsequenzen im Fall Roeder Rudiger Moniac Die Welt 9 December 1997 in German Volker Ruhe Auf Kampfstation Focus 15 December 1997 in German Ein notorisch Rechtsextremer will nach Bonn Andreas Baumann Die Welt 18 September 1998 in German Rechtsextremist Roeder starb 85 jahrig in Neukirchen Politik in German Hna de 31 July 2014 Retrieved 1 August 2014 a b Rand C Lewis 1996 The Neo Nazis and German Unification Greenwood p 25 ISBN 9780275956387 Preview at Google Books Four German neo Nazis sentenced UPI 28 June 1982 Retrieved 24 December 2018 Die Wehrmachtsausstellung zwischen Krawallen und Kritik Der Spiegel 27 November 2001 in German Volksverhetzung Neonazi Roeder muss ins Gefangnis Der Spiegel 29 June 2001 in German German Neo Nazi sentenced to two years in prison Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine ORF 30 January 2002 a b Bewahrung wegen schlechter Gesundheit Archived 7 September 2012 at archive today 13 November 2009 in German Die KRR FAQ Archiv 2005 Januar bis Marz German Works cited edit Ginsburg Tobias 2022 1st pub 2019 Die Reise ins Reich Unter Rechtsextremisten Reichsburgern und anderen Verschworungstheoretikern Journey into the Reich Among far right extremists Reich Citizens and other conspiracy theorists 2nd ed Hamburg Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag ISBN 978 3 499 00456 8 Much of this article is translated from the German Wikipedia article of 5 March 2007 External links edit nbsp Media related to Manfred Roeder far right activist at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Manfred Roeder amp oldid 1209646522, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
