Germany defends minister who compared Bush to Hitler

A top aide to German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder today defended the justice minister who compared President George Bush to Adolf Hitler.

Herta Daeubler-Gmelin’s remarks have led to calls for her resignation just two days before the general election.

Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer described the minister’s words as “outrageous and inexplicable.”

But Germany’s ruling Social Democrat’s general secretary, Franz Muentefering, said he was surprised at the speed with which the White House reacted.

“Perhaps it would have been better to speak to Herta Daeubler-Gmelin first,” he said.

The regional newspaper the Schwabisches Tagblatt reported that Daeubler-Gmelin told a small group of union members: “Bush wants to distract attention from his domestic problems. That’s a popular method. Even Hitler did that.”

Schroeder, who has recently manoeuvred diplomatic tensions with Washington over his outspoken opposition to war against Iraq, said he could not imagine Daeubler-Gmelin had meant to liken Bush to Hitler.

Muentefering said: “I have spoken to her and she stresses that she didn’t say it.

“She feels that she has been abused and distorted.”

The minister called the portrayal of her comments as “far-fetched and slanderous.”

The editor of the provincial paper today stood by his reporter insisting that several witnesses had confirmed Daeubler-Gmelin’s choice of words.

Christoph Mueller also said his reporter had checked the wording with Daeubler-Gmelin herself when she telephoned to clarify her remarks.

Daeubler-Gmelin is known for her sharp tongue and has been nicknamed Daeubler-Nasty in parliament.

Justice Ministry spokesman Thomas Weber confirmed that the minister had been in touch with the newspaper, but disputed its version of events.

He said the minister had called also US ambassador Dan Coats and “made it clear that these reports have no basis.”