Germany (An Orwellian Dream)
John
Wed Sep 4,12:45 PM ET
MUNICH, Germany (AP) - A Munich club owner was convicted of incitement to
hate and anti-Semitism Wednesday for canceling a pro-Israel fund-raiser that
involved the granddaughter of the late Israeli premier Yitzhak Rabin (
news - web sites). He was fined and sentenced to six months' probation.
The trial of Rudolf Fischer, 52, by a Munich court followed his refusal to
allow the gathering for 400 guests at his Y Julieta club in March 2001.
Fischer said in court that he told the event organizers he didn't want to
host any political events.
The event was a fund-raiser for Keren Hayesod, a quasi-government
organization that raises money to promote Jewish immigration to Israel and
other Israeli causes.
But Claus Peter Zistl, an attorney for the organization, testified Monday
that Fischer told one of its members he had canceled the event because "he
wanted nothing to do" with Jews and would sooner host a far-right political
rally.
Fischer had helped "create the impression around the world that Jewish
guests here are again treated as they were in the Third Reich," Judge Max
Boxleitner said as he issued his ruling.
Boxleitner said he found the plaintiffs' testimony "extremely credible,"
while he said defense witnesses backing Fischer's version of his comments to
the organizers were too far away to hear the exchange.
Fischer was fined $2,480.
Prosecution lawyers had demanded a nine-month suspended sentence for
Fischer, whose trial began Monday. The defense, which had argued he should
be acquitted, said it would appeal.
The fund-raiser was to have included Noa Ben-Artzi, whose moving eulogy for
her grandfather after Rabin's 1995 assassination captured world attention.
Keren Hayesod, also known in English as the United Israel Appeal, filed
criminal complaints and held its event at another Munich club, and the
city's mayor issued an apology to Rabin's granddaughter.
City authorities said they would examine whether to withdraw the Fischer's
license for the club or issue him with a warning in the light of the
verdict.
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