Germany’s new book-burners target online memes

Europe is in crisis, but nowhere is the collapse more evident than in Germany. Once the continent’s economic engine and cultural linchpin, Germany is now a cautionary tale of failed policies, social decay, and creeping authoritarianism.

In Deutschland, Orwell’s “thought crime” has leaped off the pages of fiction and landed in reality as “tweet crime.” Recently, Bavarian police raided the home of a 64-year-old pensioner. His unforgivable act involved reposting a meme that dared to call Green Economy Minister Robert Habeck an “idiot.”

Each country’s crisis looks slightly different, but the root causes are the same.

Having followed Habeck’s ascent to political stardom — and infamy — calling him an idiot feels almost generous.

The Bamberg prosecutor’s office classified the incident as a “politically motivated right-wing crime.” The meme, a satirical play on words replacing “Schwarzkopf Professional” with “Schwachkopf Professional” (roughly, “Weakhead Professional”), triggered a full-blown investigation for “hatred.”

Criticism of a government minister has been rebranded as defamation so severe it supposedly hinders Habeck’s ability to function. Police raids over memes — this isn’t satire; it’s the grim reality of modern Germany.

The absurdity doesn’t stop there. The Alternative for Germany, a growing populist force, reposted the same meme, exposing the glaring double standards in prosecuting speech.

When pensioners face police raids over harmless humor, it’s clear that the German state isn’t just losing its grip on reality — it’s actively dismantling free expression. But while the government micromanages memes, moralless miscreants run riot.

No ticket to ride

Train conductor isn’t a job that screams “danger” — unless you’re in Germany, where it’s become less a profession and more a survival test. Increasingly violent attacks, largely linked to systemic migration issues, have turned routine ticket checks into confrontations with danger.

Conductors report beatings, stabbings, humiliation, and worse. In some cases, they’ve been publicly urinated on by aggressive passengers, many of whom are migrants. This isn’t just anecdotal; violent incidents involving foreign nationals have surged.

The “solution” is as nonsensical as it is tragic: In some areas, conductors are instructed to avoid checking tickets of those who appear foreign, as if abandoning public order could somehow restore it.

The violence doesn’t stop at train conductors. Sexual assaults on public transport are so frequent that Berlin officials are debating the introduction of women-only carriages.

The statistics are staggering.

Sexual offenses on Berlin’s public transport have risen by 260% in the last decade, with nearly 400 such crimes reported in 2023 alone. Women make up 89% of the victims. High-profile cases, like the rape of a 63-year-old woman on a Berlin subway, have prompted desperate measures.

Foreign nationals, just 15% of Germany’s population, are responsible for 59% of all sexual crimes in public transit spaces. In train stations, violent crimes committed by foreign suspects have tripled in the past decade. Germany’s migration policies have become a blueprint for societal dysfunction: unchecked immigration, woefully inadequate integration, and a legal system too timid — or too overwhelmed — to enforce basic order.

A continent-wide collapse

Germany’s story is not unique. It’s echoed across Europe, where immigration policies have strained public services, fractured communities, and eroded trust in governments.

In the U.K., boatloads of migrants flood the southern shores daily, overwhelming local councils and igniting tensions in towns already buckling under the strain. But while resources are stretched thin and communities cry out for help, the government’s priorities seem alarmingly misaligned.

British citizens, like their German counterparts, are being arrested and handed lengthy prison sentences for so-called “tweet crimes.” Criticizing policies or even questioning the state’s narrative online is now enough to land someone in court — or worse, behind bars.

As the country grapples with unchecked immigration, its own citizens are being silenced, not for acts of violence but for the crime of speaking out.

In Ireland, my home country, similar sobering trends are emerging. While small towns are inundated with asylum-seekers — often placed in local communities with little warning or preparation — Irish citizens who voice concerns are finding themselves targeted. Criticism of government policies or comments deemed “offensive” can now lead to investigations, arrests, and even convictions.

The state appears more focused on policing speech than addressing the genuine fears of its people, leaving communities feeling abandoned and silenced in their own country.

Italy faces similar pressures, with its island of Lampedusa groaning under the weight of relentless arrivals. Austria and Sweden, once seen as places of law and order, now grapple with spiraling gang violence, rapes, and criminal networks tied to migration.

Each country’s crisis looks slightly different, but the root causes are the same: mass immigration without assimilation, progressive policies that value inclusivity over security, and governments that prioritize political correctness over their citizens’ welfare.

If Germany falls, Europe falls

As the violence grows, Germany’s government continues to focus on silencing dissent rather than addressing the chaos. Its commitment to ideological conformity is unwavering, even as public trust crumbles.

The pensioner arrested over a meme is just one example in a long line of chilling cases where free expression has been trampled. Critics of immigration policy are branded as extremists, while those pointing out uncomfortable truths are met with investigations, fines, or worse.

Meanwhile, ordinary Germans live with the fallout. The cliché about German trains running on time isn’t just a myth; it’s laughable. What were once symbols of precision and safety have devolved into battlegrounds, where violence is the norm and women are particularly vulnerable.

Public spaces that once felt secure now breed fear. Meanwhile, the government appears blind to this chaos, pouring its energy into prosecuting words instead of addressing the very real dangers that threaten its people every day.

Germany is Europe’s heart. It has been for decades. Its capitulation is not just a national failure; it’s a European one. And if the heart of Europe fails, the body will not survive.