I Was Targeted by Germany’s Speech Police

The article is a first-person opinion piece by German historian and entrepreneur Rainer Zitelmann, who argues that Germany’s enforcement of speech-related laws is increasingly threatening free expression. He describes being investigated after reposting an image comparing Adolf Hitler’s demands over Czechoslovakia with Vladimir Putin’s claims over Ukraine, and says the case illustrates the risks of state intervention in political speech.

Zitelmann says police informed him of the complaint in February 2026, apparently relating to Germany’s ban on symbols of unconstitutional organisations; the investigation was dropped two months later after he spent about $7,000 on legal representation. He cites a 2025 Allensbach survey in which 46% of respondents said they could freely express political views, and notes that investigations for insulting politicians reportedly rose from 748 in 2021 to 4,439 in 2024. The article also cites other reported cases involving social-media posts about politicians, while presenting the author’s view that criminal enforcement has gone too far.