As part of its in-depth coverage of this issue, in 1995 Freedom published The Rise of Hatred & Violence in Germany, a documented account of the treatment of religious minorities in Germany today. Freedom in particular raised a strong voice against the rise of right-wing extremist activity and propaganda against minorities, and warned leaders to heed the signs of a repetition of Germany’s darker chapters in history. While it was perhaps unpopular at first to speak out on the topic, there is little chance now of the message being reviled or ignored. The results of a 1998 state election in former East Germany, demonstrating the rise and power of right-wing extremist politics, shocked even Germany’s leaders and media.
Freedom has continued to be at the forefront of enlightening governments, media and the public on the status of human rights and religious freedom in Germany. Annual human rights reports by the United Nations and the U.S. Department of State censuring the German government’s human rights record; reports by independent human rights watchdog groups; a fact-finding trip by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights; and hearings by the Office for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) held in Fall 1997 in Washington, D.C. in which Scientologists and Christians testified, have resulted in part from Freedom’s efforts.
Freedom will continue to perform its role in documenting and publishing the truth about treatment of religious minorities and human rights in Germany and other European countries. Though Freedom has often moved against the grain of certain government and private interests, the continued wide and international public response has proven unequivocally that Freedom is far from alone in its views on religious liberty.
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