CAMPAIGN INFORMATION

Stop Fascism! 9 November 2006 International Day Against Fascism and Antisemitism

CONTENTS

1 What is the campaign about...

2 Join this year's campaign

3 What you can do...
3.1 Join it!
3.2 Planning a campaign activity
3.3 Practical tips
3.4 Questions to be answered

4 How UNITED can help

5 How you can help UNITED

6 What is UNITED?

7 Background information ­ The 'Kristallnacht' pogrom

8 Definitions
8.1 antisemitism
8.2 fascism
8.3 nazism

9 Internet resources

10 Orderform ­ order campaign material!

We should not allow the denial and trivialisation of nazi crimes. We should remember this dark chapter of history. We should stand up against all forms of fascism, antisemitism, racism against Roma and Sinti, racism and nationalism. All those tendencies create a world of hatred, ignorance and intolerance. We have to open our minds to people from different ethnic origins, cultures and way of lives.
We have to become flexible in opposition to static fascism.
On the night of 9 November 1938 the SA and the SS, together with ordinary citizens started an enormous pogrom on Jewish properties, synagogues and lives. Only few tried to help or to resist. Since then the property and lives of minorities in Europe have been threatened again and again, and only we can stop it!


2 Join this year's campaign

Let's join forces and build a strong movement capable of fighting fascism in all its forms. By linking local and national actions, we can generate European-wide publicity. We can show that there is an enormous amount of people that believe in an intercultural open society. There are many different approaches and philosophies, different methods and ways, but one common vision of intercultural understanding and peace.
UNITED campaigns generate publicity and mobilise people but they are also a unique opportunity to inspire each other and to learn from each other's experiences. As a sign of reconciliation and mutual understanding different groups commemorate the 'Kristallnacht' pogrom together. Eye-witnesses tell about their experiences to young activists, youth groups take the occasion to develop models of responsible and progressive commemoration of the Holocaust. UNITED against fascism and antisemitism, Jews and Roma groups organise joint commemorations and Christian groups cooperate with gay organisations. Together we want to highlight the danger of discrimination, racism and division and we stand together for peace and understanding.
All organisations, large and small, can contribute in their own way to the campaign. The variety and creativity of many simultaneous activities on different levels all over Europe make it successful. The campaign is linked together by the use of a single date at its centre - 9 November - and the use of a common theme and slogan.


3 What you can do...
3.1 Join it!

Join the UNITED campaign 2006 'Stop Fascism!' and make use of the UNITED campaign material such as posters, stickers and postcards! The posters are made to introduce you to the theme and to the campaign itself and you can use it as a tool during your activities.
Make sure your event is included in the 'European List of Activities'! Send/ fax/ e-mail UNITED information about your activities (title, date, themes, place) and the name, address and a contact person of your organisation.


3.2 Planning a campaign activity

­ Keep in mind that most activities are organised on a low- or no-budget basis. So 'no money' does not necessarily mean 'no action'
­ Important is to include the protection and empowerment of victims
of fascism and antisemitism in your campaign aims. Make use of our information leaflet 'Get Active - The 'How to organise an activity?' (www.unitedagainstracism.org under 'publications')
­ You can organise: public discussion meetings, demonstrations, commemoration meetings, conferences, poster actions, media actions, cultural events...


3.3 Practical tips

­ Start your preparations in time
­ Keep in touch with the UNITED secretariat in Amsterdam to spread your new ideas to the network and to provide it with recent information
­ Use the resources you already have within your organisation
­ Look for partners and alliances - if appropriate also outside the
NGO movement (schools, religious groups, community groups)
­ Try to involve as many people as possible already during preparation (volunteers, partners etc.) and divide tasks clearly


3.4 Questions to be answered

­ What is the message you want to communicate?
­ What outcome do you expect (short-term/long-term)?
­ How do you want to communicate your message?
­ What publicity do you need to communicate your message?
­ Are there special ways and/or occasions when the communication can be more effective?


4 How UNITED can help

­ You can order campaign material; up to 100 posters are for free. But if you need more for special purposes, don't hesitate to contact UNITED
­ We will produce a special 'List of Activities', documenting all the different activities during the campaign and the strength of the antifascist movement throughout Europe. The list can help you to make contacts and exchange ideas with other groups. It will be updated several times and will be published on our website (www.unitedagainstracism.org)
­ Call UNITED if you cannot find a partner for your activities. We might know of other NGOs in your country who are planning activities
­ A media release will be sent out to all the important European press agencies, newspapers, etc. If you feel that we should include a specific media contact from your country in our list, let us know. Journalists who want to know about specific activities will be informed about events in their country and are referred to the organisations involved
­ UNITED will produce a European report after the campaign itself, including as many of the activities that took place as possible. The report is spread throughout Europe to support NGOs in reporting to their sponsors and to inspire action for next year. You can order copies of last year's report for inspiration and motivation


5 How you can help UNITED

We can only do this with your help:
­ Help us to make the media release exciting! Announce your activities to us! Send us your ideas, invitations, leaflets and posters before the activities take place
­ Help us to make the campaign report complete and affecting. Make sure your activity is included! Send us reports, newspaper articles, photographs, etc. after the event for the European report. The material does not have to be in English
And last but not least: Just let us know what you need


6 What is UNITED?

UNITED for Intercultural Action is the European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees. Racism, nationalism, fascism, discrimination, restrictive migration and asylum policiesthese issues have a European dimension. It is important to fight intolerance on all levels. Linked through UNITED, more than 560 organisations and youth organisations from a wide variety of backgrounds, from all European countries, work together on a voluntary basis. They base their cooperation on common actions and shared activities and on mutual respect. UNITED is and will remain independent from all political parties, organisations and states, but seeks an active co-operation with other anti-racist initiatives in Europe. Through the UNITED network organisations meet each other, work on common actions and share information. European-wide action weeks and campaigns are planned and discussed at UNITED conferences. Like-minded organisations meet each other at such conferences and work together on specific projects and on specific topics. The workers in the secretariat are in constant contact with the network organisations, ensuring that information and proposals for action are transmitted rapidly. Information is received from more than 2000 organisations and mailings go out to about 2500 groups in Europe. If you want to get involved discuss the ideas and aims of the UNITED network within your organisation. Let us know that your organisation would like to join or to receive information. And add us to your mailing list!


7 Background information ­ The 'Kristallnacht' pogrom

On November 9th 1938 in Germany, the Nazis started a pogrom against the Jewish community. Here is a short story of what happened.

After the Nazis came to power in 1933, Jews were victims of a racial legislation, which limited their life. They were forced to hand over their businesses to 'Aryans'; they were only allowed to shop in Jewish-owned shops; their children were only allowed to go to Jewish schools; and so on...
This was accompanied by a wave of organised violence against Jews in the streets and elsewhere. Anyway, until November 9th 1938, many of these attacks had the appearance of being unplanned by the leadership of the Nazi Party and the government of Germany. On November 6th, a young Jew living in Paris, Herschel Grynszpan, received a post-card from his father Zindel who had been deported, along with 18.000 other German Jews on October 27th to the Polish frontier. The postcard described the terrible conditions that the deportees were living under. Herschel Grynszpan was so angered by what he had read that he went to the German Embassy in Paris and shot the first German official that he saw, Ernst vom Rath, a diplomatic assistant. Vom Rath died on November 8th and the news of his death reached Germany the next day. Hitler and Goebbels were at that moment attending the NSDAP celebration on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Hitler putsch on 9 November 1923. Goebbels directly took up the chance to hold a rabble-speech against Jews.

The pogrom started in Berlin on November 9th 1938, organised unofficially by Hitler's SA storm troops. In a telegram-letter to all SA and SS-groups, Reinhard Heydrich, one of the leaders of the SS, clearly ordered the violence to begin. Synagogues were set on fire. Jewish shops had their windows smashed across the country. This particular is the origin of the name 'Kristallnacht', which freely translated means the Night of Broken Glass. Many Jews were physically attacked too. More than 7000 Jewish businesses across the country were attacked. Fires were lit in every Jewisharea. Religious books were burned. Around 200 synagogues were destroyed. The attack lasted 24 hours and 91 Jews were killed. More than 30.000 were arrested and sent to concentration camps. Many of them were killed in the following two months.
The 'Kristallnacht' pogrom is usually seen as the symbolic beginning of the Holocaust. In addition to the approximately 6 million Jews who were the targets of a complete annihilation policy, there were an estimated 5,5 million "enemies of the German state": criminals and "asocials", people with mental disabilities, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, political offenders such as communists and socialists, and minorities such as Roma and Sinti. According to estimates, between 200.000 and 1.500.000 of so-called 'Gypsies' were murdered. From 10.000 to 15.000 homosexuals were also killed in camps.

The word 'Kristallnacht' was given to the event by the Nazis themselves, because it mocked what had happened. German anti-fascists today prefer describing the pogrom as "Reichspogromnacht", although in the majority of countries, the term 'Kristallnacht' is used, as it is better known.


8 Definitions
8.1 antisemitism

Antisemitism is prejudice against Jewish people. Antisemites wrongly believe that Jews are fundamentally different from other people, that they want to rule the world and are trying to reach this goal through a world-wide conspiracy. This form of xenophobic intolerance leads to discrimination against individuals as well as to the persecution of Jews as a group. The most horrific manifestation of antisemitism came withHitler's rise to power and the Nazi ideology of racial purity.


8.2 fascism

Fascism is a violent extreme right-wing political movement. Fascism gains support among all social groups especially in times of political and economical crisis. It destroys democratic liberties and discriminates members of specific (ethnic) minorities and people with different views. Fascists believe in the leadership of a strong man, instead of parliamentary democracy. Fascism is based on a strong nationalism, which often turns racist. The term fascism is historically linked to the Italian fascism under Mussolini, but is applied to a range of similar regimes, parties and movements.


8.3 nazism

Nazism is an ideology and policy of German fascism, which was characterised by racism, antisemitism, totalitarianism, social demagogy, aggression and claims of superiority over other nations. The word nazism is derived from the expression 'national-socialism', which was a political movement in Germany led by the NSDAP (German National-Socialist Workers' Party). The Nazi regime was responsible for the deaths of millions of civilians. Some groups identify themselves with the ideals of nazism even today. These neo-Nazis sometimes manifest themselves as skinheads, but not all of them do and not all skinheads are neo-nazis.


9 Internet resources

UNITED for Intercultural Action - www.unitedagainstracism.org
Internet Centre Anti-Racism Europe (I CARE) - www.icare.to
Antisemitism and Xenophobia Today - www.axt.org.uk
Searchlight Magazine - www.searchlightmagazine.com
Stephen Roth Institute - www.tau.ac.il/Anti-Semitism
Holocaust Memorial Museum - www.ushmm.org


10 Orderform ­ order campaign material!

orderform (rtf 12 KB)

UP

UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism
and in support of migrants and refugees
Postbus 413, NL-1000 AK Amsterdam, Netherlands
phone +31-20-6834778, fax +31-20-6834582
info@unitedagainstracism.org, www.unitedagainstracism.org