SSPX begins libel proceedings in Germany

Max Burger und die Piusbrüder: Ärger / Schon wieder ein Leserbriefschreiber angezeigt - Neue Rottweiler Zeitung Online. Nachrichten aus der Region Rottweil.

Cathcon-another round in the everlasting battle with the Green Party- in whatever country of Europe, they are always causing trouble for the SSPX.   When the SSPX opened their church in Brussels, they organised mass demonstrations outside.

Max Burger and the SSPX: anger

It was only recently that a citizen of Rottweil had, because of a critical letter to the editor in the NRWZ, received a libel complaint from the Regional Council. Now, the City and District Council of Rottweil must also defend Max Burge because of a reader's letter.

Because he was angry over what he saw as completely uncritical reports in a local newspaper of a dedication of a Church of the ultra-conservative SSPX on the Sulgen, Burger had written a letter to the editor of the about the "Communion of Saints," as he called the SSPX. He has now received a criminal complaint from the German District Superior of the SSPX, Father Franz Schmidberger.

The Prosecutor's Office in Rottweil has begun preliminary proceedings, Burger has heard. In his letter to the editor the Green Party County Councilor Burger had commented on the arch-conservative ideology of the SSPX, and quotes the Catholic Freiburg moral theologian Prof. Eberhard Schockenhoff that the association is basically a "case for the constitutional protection authorities " as it disseminates " fascist, a former Nazi statements disseminated. "

Burger refers to the District Superior of the SSPX, Schmidberger, whom he attacked. According to Burger, thr SSPX have not done enough to dissociate themselves from SSPX member, Richard Williamson who has been convicted of race hatred and who denies the Holocaust and claims that '”the gas chambers are an invention”, writes Burger.

Schmidberger also compared the Prophet Muhammad to a child molester, said the accusation of Burger.  Against these statements, Schmidberger has taken action as both are wrong.  Both he and the SSPX had, in January 2009, distanced themselves from Williamson's statements. In a press release of 5 February 2009, he had withdrawn the term "child molester" in reference to the Prophet Mohammed expressing deep regret.

The Director of Public Prosecutions for Rottweil, Joachim Dittrich has written now to Burger: "Therefore, there is a suspicion that you ... against better judgement with respect to others have asserted or disseminated a fact that brings the same person contempt or disparagement in public opinion. "This is punishable as libel.

Burger has rejected the charges of libel from Schmidberger. In his hearing before the Public Prosecutor of Rottweil, he has declared that he knew that Schmidberger had distanced himself from Williamson's statement. However, Schmidberger on 6 February 2009 in the BWR program "Viewpoint Baden Württemberg " on the question of whether someone could be his brother in faith who denies the extermination of Jews by the Nazis responded: "As long as he recognizes the Catholic dogmas, yes, of course."

With regard to the "child molester" comparison of the District Superior, it is well known to him that Schmidberger backtracked, writes Burger. But Schmidberger does not distance himself sufficiently his actual testimony, because the member of the SSPX did not withdraw the use of the term because he found it to be incorrect or not clearly justifiable, but only "because this wording is capable of hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims”

In an interview with the SWR, Schmidberger had, the day after the news release full of regret, reiterated that "Mohamed had proven sexual relations with a girl of about eight or nine . This is known today as child molestation " Burger keeps to his statements.

Especially in the light of the current scandal surrounding the exposure of church dignitaries as child molesters, he considered "the spurious formulations with which the SSPX now wish to historically legitimate Schmidberger's molester comparison , possibly as a pathetic attempt to limit the damage," he boldly pours oil onto the fire.