February 17, 2007

Federal Chancellery
Bundeskanzleramt
Willy Brand Straße 1
10178 Berlin
GERMANY

Release Ernst Zundel

Dear Chancellor Merkel:

We are Canada's leading free speech advocacy group. We believe that freedom of speech and freedom of the press and freedom of expression are natural extensions of freedom of conscience.

I must say that we were appalled by the ruthless sentence of 5 years in prison meted out to political prisoner Ernst Zundel by a court in Mannheim on February 15.

I call Mr. Zundel a "political prisoner" as he is in jail solely for the non-violent expression of his political and historical views. [That is Amnesty International's defnition of a "prisoner of conscience."]

Incarcerating peaceful dissidents for expressing their opinions is unworthy of a civilized state with Germany's history of intellectual endeavour and creativity. Intellectual creativity requires freedom.

We note with dismay that the sentence seems to contradict a key element in the German Constitution; to wit, Sec. 5.1: "Everyone has the right to freely express and disseminate their opinions orally, in writing or visually and to obtain information from generally accessible sources without hindrance. ... Freedom of the press and freedom of reporting through audio-visual media shall be guaranteed. There shall be no censorship."

Expressing his opinions in writing was all Mr. Zundel ever did. We urge you to use your power to grant him clemency and to immediately release Mr. Zundel.

As well, we find it distressing that your government seeks to pressure the nations of the EU to adopt a common law that would jail people for questioning the establishment account of World War II as it relates to the treatment of interned Jews. Not to be able to question, explore or revise history leads to stagnation and ignorance. No historical account should be immune to question and debate. Such a censorship law comes dangerously close to creating a new state religion and to jailing dissenters as heretics.

We believe that such repression is unworthy of Germany as a nation that has always cherished its intellectuals.

As a person who lived under a repressive dictatorship and state censorship in the former DDR (German Democratic Republic), we would hope that you would be especially sensitive to attacks on freedom of speech.

Looking forward to your response, I remain, concerned for freedom of expression for all,

Respectfully yours,
Paul Fromm Director

ATLANTA, GA

Consulate General of the
Federal Republic of Germany

Marquis Two Tower, Suite 901
285 Peachtree Center Avenue, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1221

Tel.: (404) 659-4760
Fax: (404) 577-2719

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(Please include your postal mailing address and phone number when you ask for information via e-mail- Thank you)

Website: www.germany.info/atlanta

BOSTON, MA

Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany
3 Copley Place, Suite 500
Boston, MA 02116
Tel.: (617) 369-4900
or (617) 369-4934 (operator)
Fax: (617) 369-4940
Fax: (617) 369-4944 (Consular Department)
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The area of jurisdiction of the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Boston includes the six New England States: Connecticut (with the exception of Fairfield County), Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The Consulate consists of the Legal and Consular Section, the Economic & Commercial Section, Cultural, Academic & Scientific Exchange Section and the Media & Information Section.

CHICAGO, IL

Tel.: (312)202-0480
Fax: (312)202-0466

Address:
676 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 3200
Chicago, IL 60611

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HOUSTON, TX

German Consulate General
1330 Post Oak Blvd. Suite 1850
Houston TX 77056
 
Telephone 713- 627-7770
Fax  713-627-0506
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LOS ANGELES, CA

German Consulate General
6222 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 500
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Tel.: (323) 930 2703
Fax: (323) 930 2805
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MIAMI, FL

100 North Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 2200
Miami, FL 33132-2381

Tel. (305) 358-0290+  (with telephone information system)
Tel. (305) 358-0290+ ext. 464  (passport and visa questions)
Fax (305) 358-0307+  (all matters) E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it          
(please include your postal mail address when asking for information)  
NEW YORK, NY

Consulate General of the
Federal Republic of Germany
871, United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
phone (212) 610-9700
fax (212) 610-9702

Consular and Legal section
(Entrance: 49th Str. between 1st & 2nd Ave.)
Tel.: 1-212-610-9700
Fax.: 1-212-610-9702 (Visa)
Fax.: 1-212-610-9705 (passport/citizenship/other matters)
email: Visa (Visa only)
email: Consular and Legal section (all other matters)

Cultural section
Tel.: (212) 610-9721
Fax: (212) 610-9703
e-mail: Cultural section

Political and Protocol section
Tel.: (212) 610-9711
Fax: (212) 610-9704
e-mail: Political and Protocol section

Press Office
Tel.: (212) 610-9816
Fax: (212) 610-9802
e-mail: Press Office
SAN FRANCISCO, CA

1960 Jackson Street San Francisco, CA 94109
Tel:  ( 415) 775 - 1061
Tel:  (415)  353 - 0303 ( Visa )
Tel:  (415)  353 - 0369 ( Passport/ Citizenship)
Fax: (415)  775 - 0187
Fax: (415)  353 - 0340  ( Visa/ Passport Section )

German Consulate San Francisco

German Embassy in Canberra, Australia

Embassy of Germany in Canberra, Australia      send edits
119 Empire Circuit
Yarralumla ACT 2600
Australia
City: Canberra
Phone: (02) 6270 1911
Fax: (02) 6270 1951
Web Site: http://www.germanembassy.org.au/
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German Embassy in Wien, Austria
German Embassy in Austria
Metternichgasse 3
1030
City: Wien
Phone: 71154 0
Fax: 7138366
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German Embassy in Ottawa, Canada

Embassy of Germany in Ottawa, Canada      send edits
1 Waverley Street, Ottawa
Ontario, K2P 0T8
Canada
City: Ottawa
Phone: (1 613) 232 1101
Fax: (1 613) 594 9330
Web Site: http://www.ottawa.diplo.de/
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Office Hours: Monday to Friday 09.00 a.m. to noon

German Consulate in Quebec, Canada
 
Consulate of the Federal Republic of German in Montreal      send edits
1250, Boulevard Rene-Levesque Ouest,
Suite 4315
Montreal,
Quebec H3B 4W8
Canada
City: Quebec
Phone: 1-514-931-2277
Fax: 1-514-931-7239
Web Site: http://www.montreal.diplo.de/
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Office Hours: The Consulate General ist open for the public from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 12.00 and can be reached by telephone from Monday to Thursday until 16.45 and on Fridy until 13.45.

German Consulate in Toronto, Canada

Consulate General of the Federal Republic of German in Toronto      send edits
77 Bloor Street West
Suite 1703
Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1M2,
Canada
City: Toronto
Phone: +416 925-2813
Fax: +416 925-2818
Web Site: http://www.toronto.diplo.de
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Office Hours: The consular section (passport and visa applications as well as other legal matters) is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - noon. Working hours of the Consulate are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., except on holidays.

German Consulate in Calgary, Canada

Consulate of German in Calgary      send edits
Suite 600, 550-11 Avenue S.W.
Calgary
Alberta T2R 1M7
Canada
City: Calgary
Phone: (1-403) 247 3357
Fax: (1-403) 247 8662
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German Consulate in Vancouver, Canada

Consulate of German in Vancouver      send edits
Suite 704, World Trade Centre
999 Canada Place
Vancouver
B.C. V6C 3E1
Canada
City: Vancouver
Phone: (1-604) 684 8377
Fax: (1-604) 684 8334
Web Site: http://www.vancouver.diplo.de
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German Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia
 
German Embassy in Croatia      send edits
Ulica Grada
Vukovara 64
Zagreb, 1000
City: Zagreb
Phone: 385 1 6158100 or 385 1 6158101
Fax: 385 1 6158103
Web Site: http://www.deutschebotschaft-zagreb.hr/de/home/index.html
   
German Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic
 
German Embassy in Czech Republuc      send edits
Vlasska 19
Mala Strana
Prague
City: Prague
Phone: 420 2 57 11 31 11
Fax: 420 2 57 53 40 56
Web Site: http://www.deutsche-botschaft.cz
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German Embassy in Helsinki, Finland

Embassy of Germany in Helsinki, Finland      send edits
Krogiuksentie 4b
00340 Helsinki
Finland
City: Helsinki
Phone: (+358) (9) 458 580
Fax: (+358) (9) 45 85 82 58
Web Site: http://www.helsinki.diplo.de
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German Embassy in Paris, France

Embassy of Germany in Paris, France      send edits
28, rue Marbeau
75116
City: Paris
Phone: 01 - 53 83 45 00
Fax: 01 40 67 93 53 und 01 53 83 46 50
Web Site: http://www.amb-allemagne.fr/
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German Embassy in Athens, Greece

German Embassy in Greece      send edits
Karaoli & Dimitiou 3
Athens
City: Athens
Phone: 30 210 7 28 51 11
Fax: 30 210 7 25 12 05
Web Site: http://www.deutschebotschaft-athen.org
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German Embassy in Budapest, Hungary

German Embassy in Hungary      send edits
Ãari utca 64-66
Budapest
City: Budapest
Phone: 36 1 488 35 00
Fax: 36 1 488 35 05
Web Site: http://www.deutschebotschaft-budapest.hu

German Embassy in Reykjavik, Iceland
 
German Embassy in Iceland      send edits
Laufásvegur 31
Reykjavik
City: Reykjavik
Phone: 354 530 11 00
Fax: 354 530 11 01
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German Embassy in Dublin, Ireland
  
German Embassy in Ireland      send edits
31 Trimleston Avenue
Booterstown
Blackrock/Co
City: Dublin
Phone: 353 1 269 30 11
Fax: 353 1 269 39 46
Web Site: http://www.germanembassy.ie
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Office Hours: Monday to Friday 08.30 - 12.00 Visasection: 08.30 - 11.30 other consular matters: 08.30 - 12.00

German Embassy in Rome, Italy

German Embassy in Vatican      send edits
Via di Villa Sacchetti 4-6
Rome
City: Rome
Phone: 39 06 80 95 11
Fax: 39 06 80 95 12 27

German Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands
 
German Embassy in Holland      send edits
Groot Hertoginnelaan 18-20
The Hague
City: The Hague
Phone: 31 70 342 06 00
Fax: 31 70 342 06 66
Web Site: http://www.duitse-ambassade.nl
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German Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand

German Embassy in New Zealand      send edits
90-92 Hobson Street
Thorndon
City: Wellington
Phone: 64 4 473 60 63
Fax: 64 4 473 60 69
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German Embassy in Oslo, Norway

German Embassy in Norway      send edits
Oscarsgate 45
City: Oslo
Phone: 47 23 27 54 00
Fax: 47 22 44 76 72
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German Embassy in Warszawa, Poland
 
German Embassy in Poland      send edits
ul. Dabrowiecka 30
03-932
City: Warszawa
Phone: +48-22-58 41 700
Fax: +48-22-58 41 739
Web Site: http://www.ambasadaniemiec.pl
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Office Hours: Od poniedziaBku do pitku: 9.00 - 12.00 oraz po uprzednim umówieniu si

German Embassy in Ljubljana, Slovenia

German Embassy in Ljubljana, Slovenia      send edits
Presernova Cesta 27
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
City: Ljubljana
Phone: (386) 1 479 03 00
Fax: (386) 1 425 08 99
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German Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa
  
German Embassy in Sudafrica      send edits
180 Blackwood St.
Arcadia, Pretoria
City: Pretoria
Phone: 27 12 427 89 00
Fax: 27 12 343 94 01
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German Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden
 
Embassy of Germany in Stockholm, Sweden      send edits
Skarpogatan 9
Box 27832
115 93 Stockholm
Sweden
City: Stockholm
Phone: (+46) (8) 6 70 15 00
Fax: (+46) (8) 670 15 72
Web Site: http://www.stockholm.diplo.de
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German Embassy in Bern, Switzerland

German Embassy in Switzerland      send edits
Willadingweg 83
3006 Bern
Switzerland
City: Bern
Phone: 41 31 359 41 11
Fax: 41 31 359 44 44
Web Site: http://www.deutsche-botschaft.ch
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Office Hours: 09.00-12.00
   
German Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine

German Embassy in Ukraine      send edits
Wul. Bohdana
Chmelnyzkoho 25
Kiev
City: Kiev
Phone: 380 44 2 47 68 00
Fax: 380 44 2 47 68 18
Web Site: http://www.deutsche-botschaft.kiev.ua
   
German Embassy in London, United Kingdom

German Embassy in London, England (UK)      send edits
23 Belgrave Square
London
City: London
Phone: 44 20 78 24 13 00
Fax: 44 20 78 24 14 35
   
German Embassy in Washington DC, United States

Embassy of Germany      send edits
4645 Reservoir Road, NW,
Washington DC 20007-1998
City: Washington DC
Phone: 1 202 298 81 40
Fax: 1 202 298 42 49
Web Site: http://www.germany-info.org/
Email: [email protected]