Germany has banned the distribution and right to display any Nazi paraphernalia. They had hoped to suppress the dark past which hangs heavy over their heads. Over the summer of 2012 they decided to re-release "Mein Kampf", Hitlers famous manifesto.
The book hasn’t been printed since World War 2. In order to keep up with their free press society they decided it was time to release the book with one catch. They would be adding chapters to the book with a counter argument to everything Hitler wrote. The German government wanted to make sure no one would mistake the printing of the book with their acceptance of his views. They simply saw no way around keeping the book banned if they were going to have a free press society.
Fears of rising neo-Nazi groups would of course go along with the new digital distribution of the book. During 2012 Germany saw the capture of a women belonging to a Neo Nazi organization who was wanted in connection to several anti Semitic/racist murders over the past few years. Germany does well with trying to distance itself from the image that they have through out the world since the Holocaust. The people of the country are very active in never forgetting what happened during the war. Every where you look they have museums and restored concentration camps to honor those lost. However the Nazi is a blight on Germany’s future.
"Germany is expected to move closer this week to launching a legal bid to ban the far-right National Democratic Party after a government-commissioned report labeled it as having an "anti-Semitic, racist and xenophobic position" and being "related" to National Socialism."Speigel International
However the Far Right is on the rise. Which has many people including the Chancellor, Angela Merkel, worried. The government is working on a ban of the National Democratic Party. Merkel is worried that if the ban doesn’t go through it may only strengthen the party. Right now their numbers are small. They rely mostly on internet to get word out. They have sites dedicated to the NDP, trying to gain popularity through social networking.
In late 2012 German authorities got to together with Twitter to shut down some accounts with questionable material. Their was a German account called “Better Hanover” which was calling for violence to foreigners. German authorities worried that the people behind this account and others like it would cause to people living or visiting the country. Right now Germany has a very high population of middle eastern people living with in its country especially in the city of Berlin. Twitter complied and shut down the account along with any others spouting similar talk.
Although Germany is undoubtedly in favor of banning the National Democratic Party, 67% are in favor of the ban, it could still have massive negative effect on the country. How will Germany decide whats best for them? Could they continue to ban other internet sites that contain extreme views? Its possible Germany will decide this is best for them. The issue of Nazism is something that they take seriously and it is unlikely that the repercussions will be lenient.