German nuclear abolitionist starts 30 day prison sentence for action at Büchel Air Base

On August 17, Holger Isabelle Jänicke, movement worker and head of the legal aid office in Hamburg, Germany, started a 30-day substitute prison sentence in the JVA Billwerder/Hamburg correctional facility. On April 30, 2019, seventeen peace activists from all over Germany broke through a double fence of NATO wire into the Bundeswehr Büchel Air Base premises with banners and posters, and prevented the daily launch of the military Tornadoes. On January 18 of this year, his 60th birthday, the district court of Koblenz sentenced Jänicke to a fine of 30 daily rates of €17 each for the 2019 action. Since he deliberately did not pay the fine, a summons to report to prison was sent.

In solidarity, several fellow campaigners accompanied Jänicke to the prison. On banners they demanded “Abolish nuclear weapons”. Jänicke is relaxed about his stay in prison. Between 1985 and 1998 he was imprisoned five times for a total of 17 months for sit-ins involving the Pershing II nuclear missiles. Later, all who sat-in were rehabilitated and even received compensation. The full-time activist has focused on legal aid work for nonviolent actions since 1986, and has even had his own legal aid office in Hamburg since 2010. Through his knowledge and wealth of experience, he works with/for activists from X-tausendmal quer, Gendreck-Weg and currently also Ende Gelände and Letzte Generation – always with the aim of empowering the activists of the movements.

Empowerment of the peace movement is more necessary than ever. The war in Ukraine and Russian President Putin’s nuclear threats make it clear that the threat of nuclear war is once again very present in Europe. The deterrence approach failed, and the Ukraine war could not be prevented as a result. Because rearmament does not solve any problems – on the contrary: it exacerbates international tensions and social inequality.

Jänicke: “War destroys the future. We must work even more resolutely to create a society that is free of violence, oppression and exploitation. On the other hand, nuclear weapons are harmful because they make the window of time for positive changes even smaller. Instead, we need many empowered people to shape society positively together. Of course, that also includes disarmament.” By going to prison, he wants to motivate others to become active in Büchel and to reduce the fear of state sanctions.

On August 17, in solidarity with the Büchel17, the Mayor of Hamburg, Dr. Tschentscher, hoisted the “Mayors for Peace” flag in front of the town hall. More than 500 cities in Germany have joined the Association of Mayors for Peace. By raising the Mayors for Peace flag, the mayors are appealing to the countries of the international community to work towards the abolition of nuclear weapons and a peaceful world.

This year, Holger Isabelle is the third person to go to prison because of nonviolent protests and resistance at Büchel. In June it was Ria Makein, in July/August Frits ter Kuile and now Holger Isabelle Jänicke. More will follow in this “vigil behind bars”.

In Büchel/Eifel, 20 U.S. nuclear weapons are stored, which are to be used in case of emergency in the context of the nuclear sharing by German pilots under command of the American president.

What moves a person to cut NATO wire and walk onto a nuclear weapons base – 
all in broad daylight?
Justifying his action at Büchel Air Base, Jänicke explains: “Our action was a necessary action against grave injustice. It was the mildest means, which did not eliminate the danger for all time, but a means that reduced the violation of rights for the period of one hour, and it is a means that, repeatedly and resolutely applied, can eliminate the state of injustice in the long run. Whoever throws a bucket of water on a large fire does not extinguish the fire, but he animates others to do the same and together they will extinguish the fire!”

Why does someone choose to go to jail instead of paying the fine?
“Paying would be a simple way to avoid burdening myself and others. But that is exactly what it must not be about. The existence of nuclear weapons and the latent threat of their use must incriminate us all and I make this clear with my stay in prison, which will also be incriminating,” says Jänicke.

Traditionally, civil disobedience has often been associated with voluntary and involuntary prison terms. 
“What power does it have to go to jail as an innocent person?” asked Thoreau. In the American civil rights movement, the “jail for bail” campaign had become a mass phenomenon and generated great political pressure. Other nonviolent movements also consciously accepted jail time. More and more activists in the German peace movement are now sending a strong political signal of their opposition to nuclear weapons.