Noelle-Neumann threatens legal action to suppress record of her 'Heil Hitler!' salutation

 
 

On September 17, 1997, an attorney claiming to represent Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann threatened to "take up legal action" in order to ban WWW publication of a copy of Noelle's 1939 "Heil Hitler!" salutation found in German records captured at the end of World War II. The attorney insisted that "Christioper Simpson" (sic -- presumably he means Christopher Simpson) sign a "Declaration" barring publication of an accurate reproduction of a 1939 document that closes with, "Heil Hitler! [signed] Elisabeth Noelle." Of course, I have not agreed to sign any such statement.

I am reproducing here the text of the relevant materials here as an illustration of the ongoing harassment and attempts at intimidation employed by Ms. Noelle-Neumann and her protoges in an effort to suppress public records and open debate concerning her Hitler-era activities and and her present-day claims about public opinion research.
 
 

Background

At the close of World War II, Allied forces captured millions of pages of records of the Nazi Party, Hitler-era German government, and the various ministries, secret police organizations and other groups responsible for Germany's activities during the Hitler years. These records are public property, and today are open to public inspection and copying at the U.S. National Archives and at other archival repositories. Among the captured Nazi records is 1939 correspondence concerning Elisabeth Noelle's failed attempt to join the Reichsschriftumskammer, or Reich Chamber of Writers. Her correspondence carried the salutation "Heil Hitler!" followed by her signature. This salutation and her signature is reproduced on the title page of this WWW collection of documents, as follows:
 

Elisabeth Noelle's "Heil Hitler!" salutation, 1939





Here is the text of Noelle's attorney's letters demanding suppression of the image and text you have just viewed:

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Subject:
Internet publication - Unterlassung - English Translation
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 11:06:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: Pnekanzlei@aol.com
To: simpson@american.edu
Prinz Neidhardt Engelschall
Rechtsanwaelte

Dr. Matthias Prinz
Sabine Neidhardt
Manfred Engelschall
Dr. Froemming
Dr. Meyer-Bohl
Dr. Peters

Tesdorpfstr.16
20148 Hamburg, Germany
Tel. 040-443066
Fax 040-4106714
E-Mail: pnekanzlei@aol.com

17.08.97

Christopher Simpson
School of Communication
American University
Washington DC 20016-8017
USA
Internet Publication
address: http://gurukul.ucc.american.edu/radiowave/noelle/noelle.htm
Unterlassung
Dear Professor Simpson
I am acting on behalf of my client Ms. Noelle-Neumann regarding the above-Mentioned matter. The above-mentioned presentation injures my client`s personal rights. To avod the danger of recurrence I have to ask you to sign and send to us the attached Declaration of forbearance to be received by us no later than September 21, 1997.
 

Should you fail to meet the deadline we will recommend our client ot take up legal action.

Yours sincerely,
Dr. Peters
attorney-at-law (Germany)
 
 

Subject: Declaration of forbearance
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 11:12:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: Pnekanzlei@aol.com
To: simpson@american.edu
 

Declaration of forbearance
Christopher Simpson hereby undertakes to Ms. Prof. Dr. Noelle-Neumann to refrain in future from communicating, Prof. DR. Noelle-Neumann`s handwriting "Heil Hitler! Elisabeth Noelle."

Any breach of this undertaking will result in a contractual penalty, the amount of which is to be determined by Prof. Dr. Noelle-Neumann and if the occasion arises reviewed by the competent court.
 

.................., the ...................

...............................
Christopher Simpson
(sic) 

end