André Eminger supported and revered the NSU. And Wohlleben’s personal details in brief.

The trial day today was short and rather uneventful. A federal police detective detailed what documents had been used concerning accused Gerlach. The federal prosecutor’s office added that some of the documents, e.g. of the federal secret service, were still “on the way” to the court.

Another detective described a portrait of Böhnhardt and Mundlos, drawn in pencil or coal, with the slogan “Unforgotten” and a rune, found in Eminger’s apartment. The picture had been hung on the wall over some shelves, leading to an altar-like installation. When asked whether he was consented to these items being taken into evidence, Eminger had had a “serious outbreak”, accordingly the police had only taken pictures. Continue reading →

I! Am! A Victim! Accused Wohlleben claims to be entirely innocent.

Accused Ralf Wohlleben read out his statement on the charges against him today, taking parties by surprise that he did so already today. Wohlleben has stated that he will answer questions by all participants in the trial, but only answer questions concerning his personal life tomorrow as he would need to prepare further to answer questions concerning the charges.

Wohlleben denies the charges against him, claiming that he had helped his friends go undercover, but that he had never believed possible that they would commit crimes like these. He also admitted having given accused Carsten Schultze a hint where he could by a gun, but claimed to have believed that Uwe Böhnhardt only needed that gun to kill himself in case of impending arrest. He himself, Wohlleben claimed, had always argued against violence, especially xenophobic violence, both privately and in his politics. Continue reading →

Testimony of a supporter, and questions for accused Zschäpe.

The first and only witness today was a former “comrade” of the Kameradschaft Jena who was questioned about the details of Zschäpe, Mundlos and Böhnhardt going underground. Together with Wohlleben’s girlfriend at the time, he had tried to pick up Wohlleben in Erfurt, had procured clothing from Zschäpe’s apartment and had then driven around in Böhnhardt’s car in order to draw the police away from those going underground. The precise order of events did not quite become clear as this witness too tried to reveal as little as possible. What did become clear is that the group believed at the time that Wohlleben would also be among those arrested and that he was therefore part of the flight plan. Whether Wohlleben himself planned to go undercover remains unclear as of now. The witness contradicted the claim in Zschäpe’s statement that she had met Böhnhardt and Mundlos in his parents’ apartment, where they told her what had been in the garage. Continue reading →

Much ado about nothing – on Beate Zschäpe’s statement.

Today, Zschäpe’s defense attorney read out a statement of Beate Zschäpe’s according to which she had nothing to do with the crimes of the NSU. This statement is totally unbelievable and will turn out to have been “procedural suicide”, as prognosticated by her old counsel Heer, Stahl and Sturm. This is clear from the face of the statement and will become even clearer in the next weeks.

We therefore want to concentrate on two aspects:

“I do not accept the so-called apology for the crimes of Mundlos and Böhnhardt – it is an affront, particularly when it comes with the announcement that none of our questions will be answered.”

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Zschäpe’s statement postponed again, now expected for tomorrow

The statement by Beate Zschäpe had been expected to be read out today. However, it was again postponed, this time until tomorrow.

Her counsel Borchert had told the court yesterday that Zschäpe was not feeling well as she had suffered a nervous breakdown after her cell had been searched. He asked that her statement be postponed until Wednesday and announced that he would not take part in the trial today. Today, Zschäpe told the presiding judge that she was feeling well. Her counsel Grasel announced that the statement would nonetheless only be read out tomorrow. As to questions by the court, he wished that those be put in writing, they would be answered in writing as well. Referring to the “intense strain” that Zschäpe would feel after her statement, he asked that the court cancel the trial day on Thursday.

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