Gesellschaft für Freie Publizistik

The Gesellschaft für freie Publizistik (GfP) is a registered association (eingetragener Verein) for political education on the right-wing to far-right end of the German political spectrum, headquartered in Munich with a secretariat in Lippoldsberg. It was founded in 1960, according to its own account at the Frankfurt Book Fair that year, by former members of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and the SS, including Helmut Sündermann, a former deputy Reich press chief of the NSDAP, along with Kurt Ziesel, Erich Kern, Herbert Böhme and Peter Kleist, the latter a former personal aide to Nazi foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. The association is registered at the Amtsgericht München under number VR 1008. The GfP's membership consists primarily of far-right publishers, booksellers, editors and writers. Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz) assesses it as the largest far-right cultural association in Germany, and the 2006 Verfassungsschutz report stated that in 2005 it was at least close to the NPD (National Democratic Party of Germany). Its stated purpose is to promote cooperation among right-wing and far-right publishers and between publishers and authors, and to provide political and legal support when police or prosecutors investigate authors of right-wing writings. It organizes annual congresses that serve as a meeting point for authors, academics and politicians from the right-conservative to far-right spectrum, and publishes the proceedings in collected volumes. A quarterly organizational newsletter, Das Freie Forum, also appears. Since 1962 the GfP has awarded the Ulrich-von-Hutten-Medaille at its annual congresses to persons who, in its view, have "particularly strongly committed themselves to freedom of expression and historical truth in contemporary history." In 2008 it awarded its annual Förderpreis für Publizistik to the magazine Hier & Jetzt. The association's themes, as documented by state authorities, include questioning or denying the Holocaust, disputing or relativizing Germany's war guilt, the "foreigner question," "freedom of opinion for national journalism," and other revisionist theories and approaches. Its chairmen have included Fritz Schneider (1960–1962), Kurt Vowinckel (1963–1970), Werner Hänsler (1970–1973), Gert Sudholt (1973–1983 and 1985–1991), Holle Grimm (1983–1985), Rolf Kosiek (1991–2005), Andreas Molau (2005–2010), Martin Pfeiffer (2010–2026) and Sascha Roßmüller (since 2026).

The Gesellschaft für freie Publizistik (GfP) was founded in 1960 by former members of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and the SS. A central role was played by Helmut Sündermann, a former deputy Reich press chief of the NSDAP. Co-founders included Kurt Ziesel, Erich Kern, Herbert Böhme and Peter Kleist, the former personal aide to Nazi foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. According to the GfP's own account, "at Pentecost 1960 publishers, editors, writers, booksellers and friends of a free journalism met in Neustadt an der Weinstraße to unite against a disastrous development," and "on the occasion of the Frankfurt Book Fair 1960" the association was founded as a registered association. The Gesellschaft für freie Publizistik e.V. is registered at the Amtsgericht München under number VR 1008. From the beginning the GfP worked closely with the Deutsches Kulturwerk Europäischen Geistes and its later offshoot, the Deutsche Kulturgemeinschaft. At the latest since the 1990s there has been considerable influence on the GfP from the editorial staff of the magazine Nation und Europa. Since 2000 the GfP has worked closely with the Deutsche Studiengemeinschaft (DSG), a far-right circle. The chairmanship has changed hands repeatedly. Fritz Schneider, publisher of the Fränkischer Anzeiger, led the association from 1960 to 1962, followed by Kurt Vowinckel (1963–1970), Werner Hänsler (1970–1973), Gert Sudholt (1973–1983), Holle Grimm (1983–1985), Gert Sudholt again (1985–1991), Rolf Kosiek (1991–2005), Andreas Molau (2005–2010), Martin Pfeiffer (2010–2026) and Sascha Roßmüller (since 2026). Gert Sudholt took over the chairmanship in 1973 and was succeeded in 1983 by Holle Grimm. From 1991 to 2005 Rolf Kosiek, a multiple-office holder in the far-right spectrum from Nürtingen, was first chairman; from 2005 to 2010 Andreas Molau was chairman of the GfP, with Rolf Kosiek serving as second chairman alongside Gert Sudholt, who had multiple prior convictions for incitement of the people (Volksverhetzung). With Molau's leadership came a turn toward the NPD. From May 2010 to August 2026 Martin Pfeiffer was chairman of the GfP. In August 2026 Sascha Roßmüller became chairman; Roßmüller is also a member of the party Die Heimat (formerly NPD). According to the assessment of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the GfP is the largest far-right cultural association in Germany, and according to the 2006 Verfassungsschutz report it was at least close to the NPD in 2005. Its members are primarily far-right publishers, booksellers, editors and writers. The GfP organizes annual congresses attended in particular by authors, academics and politicians from the right-conservative to far-right spectrum. These are an important venue for strategy discussions through which the GfP seeks to influence contemporary journalism, among other things through prize awards. Some speakers were or are members of the NPD, the Witikobund, or publish in magazines such as Nation und Europa. Individual CDU members such as Albrecht Jebens or Hans-Helmuth Knütter also gave lectures at the GfP. The congress lectures are published by the GfP in collected volumes. In addition, Das Freie Forum appears quarterly as an organizational newsletter. The Bavarian Verfassungsschutz regarded the appearance of former primary school teacher Nikolai Nerling, who questions the Holocaust on his YouTube channel "Der Volkslehrer," spreads antisemitic and conspiracy-theoretical positions and warns of an "extinction of the German people," at the 2018 annual congress as a sign of the GfP's efforts to network with "patriotic forces." Since 1962 the GfP has awarded the Ulrich-von-Hutten-Medaille at its annual congresses to persons who, in the GfP's view, have "particularly strongly committed themselves to freedom of expression and historical truth in contemporary history." In 2008 the society awarded its annual Förderpreis für Publizistik to the magazine Hier & Jetzt, a quarterly organ of the Jungen...

• 2026

  Sascha Roßmüller becomes chairman (August 2026).

• 2018

  Nikolai Nerling appears at the annual congress, seen by the Bavarian Verfassungsschutz as a sign of networking with "patriotic forces."

• 2010

  Martin Pfeiffer becomes chairman (May 2010).

• 2008

  Förderpreis für Publizistik awarded to the magazine Hier & Jetzt.

• 2005

  Andreas Molau becomes chairman; the 2006 Verfassungsschutz report states the GfP was close to the NPD in 2005.

• 2000

  GfP begins close cooperation with the Deutsche Studiengemeinschaft (DSG).

• 1991

  Rolf Kosiek becomes first chairman; Gert Sudholt becomes second chairman.

• 1985

  Gert Sudholt returns as chairman.

• 1983

  Holle Grimm succeeds Gert Sudholt as chairman.

• 1973

  Gert Sudholt becomes chairman.

• 1962

  First award of the Ulrich-von-Hutten-Medaille at the annual congress.

• 1960

  Founded at Pentecost in Neustadt an der Weinstraße and on the occasion of the Frankfurt Book Fair 1960 by former NSDAP and SS members; registered as e.V. at Amtsgericht München (VR 1008).

Far-right political education association and networking body for right-wing publishers, booksellers, editors and writers; described by German authorities as the largest far-right cultural association in Germany.

• Annual congress

  Yearly gathering of authors, academics and politicians from the right-conservative to far-right spectrum; lectures published in collected volumes.

• Das Freie Forum

  Quarterly organizational newsletter.

• Ulrich-von-Hutten-Medaille

  Award presented since 1962 at annual congresses.

• Förderpreis für Publizistik

  Annual sponsorship prize for journalism; awarded in 2008 to Hier & Jetzt.

1. 1Gesellschaft für Freie Publizistik – Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Gesellschaft für freie Publizistik – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org