Continued

The Berlin Senate used similar language in November 1995 when it required all organizations doing business with the state to execute a written declaration that they were not associated with Scientology. In December 1995, the Decision Minutes of the Permanent Conference of Ministers of Interior included a recommendation that government offices insert a declaration in contracts requiring businesses to swear that personnel are not associated with Scientology and that it “rejects” Scientology beliefs and tenets.

In October 1995, it was reported that employment contracts for one business in Berlin include a clause allowing for summary dismissal if it is discovered that a person is a Scientologist.²⁹

The ostracization of Scientologists remains so serious that many businesses not associated with Scientology are forced to publish announcements in newspapers denying that they support or “sympathize” with Scientology and warning that anyone who makes such claims will be sued for defamation. These announcements are necessitated because the economic blacklisting and boycotting of Scientologists urged by the government in every strata of society results in financial ruin for businesses suspected of hiring or doing business with Scientologists. A June 8, 1995, announcement by the discotheque “Appletree” disavowing any connection with Scientology, proclaiming that “Scientologists are not welcome as guests” and stating that any statements to the contrary will be the subject of a defamation action is illustrative of the climate of intolerance in Germany.³⁰

As reported in the May 12, 1995 Die Woche article on Scientology, Warsteiner GmbH, Germany’s biggest private brewery, initiated a 300,000 DM advertisement campaign to dispel rumors that it was “infiltrated” by Scientologists (meaning that it had been accused of having employees who happened to be Scientologists -- an accusation that would lead to economic boycotts and financial ruin). Additionally, all executives of the company had to declare in writing that they were not members of Scientology.³¹

Likewise, the stock of SAP AG, one of the biggest software houses in Germany, plummeted by 10% in one week based on media reports that employees were associated with Scientology. The company denied that any employees were Scientologists and launched an “education” campaign to “warn” employees about Scientology and to ensure that their company was free of Scientologists.³²

Indeed, this climate is so oppressive that in May of 1995, the Church of Scientology of Frankfurt received a notice that its EuroCard Service Agreement was cancelled immediately as the negative publicity of a business connection to Scientology was “contrary to the profitable development of the EuroCard business.”³³ Many businesses and other organizations are pressured to display stickers and inscriptions in their establishments publicly proclaiming that Scientology and anyone associated with the religion is “not welcome.”³⁴ Trade and labor unions pressure members to report on anyone suspected of being a Scientologist and to ostracize such members.³⁵ Economic associations such as the Deutsche Industrie und Handelstag (DIHT) “warn” companies not to hire Scientologists.³⁶

It has become commonplace in Germany for individuals to be required to declare that they are not Scientologists in order to become members in a political party, group or a profession, to conduct business or to even open a bank account or receive a loan. In order to open an account or do other business with the Vereins-und Westbank AG in Hamburg, it is required to execute a declaration attesting that one is not a Scientologist and has not attended seminars concerning Scientology technology.³⁷ Another bank in Hamburg has refused loans to individuals otherwise qualified on the grounds that the bank does “not give loans to members of Scientology.”³⁸