Lies and Trivialization, Part VIII – Jürgen Helbig

Today’s witness was Jürgen Helbig, a childhood friend of Uwe Böhnhardt’s, member of the Nazi party NPD from 1998 on and active in the Jena Nazi scene at the material time. Helbig’s reactions to questions asked alternated between stammering and silence. Just like he had when questioned by military intelligence, the Thuringia office of criminal investigations, the federal office of criminal investigations and the federal prosecution, Helbig related only those facts which could be proven anyway: for a period of over one year, he was the go-between of accused Schultze and Wohlleben on the one hand and on the other Zschäpe, Mundlos and Böhnhardt, who had just gone underground. He made phone calls, provided materials and sold the “Pogromly” board game in order to raise money for the “comrades” underground.
Once Helbig transported a packet which he now believes may have contained a weapon. As other Nazi witnesses before him, he denies remembering anything which could incriminate others: he claims to never have recognized any person he talked to, he claims to never have talked about the plans of “the Three”, he claims to never have taken part in a discussion concerning guns or violence.

When questioned by military intelligence in 1999, Helbig had stated that he considered Böhnhardt, Mundlos and Zschäpe to be on the same level as right wing terrorists. He described Böhnhardt as a gun nut who hates foreigners. This statement by a person who was already then known as a supporter should have been enough for German intelligence and police services to know that “the Three” were more than likely to conduct deadly attacks on foreigners. The claims by agencies that they had no reason to suspect anything are thus – again – shown to be transparently untrue.