US embassy cable - 04FRANKFURT3507

C O N F I D E N T I A L FRANKFURT 003507 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/AGS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2014 
TAGS: SOCI, PHUM, PREL, PGOV, GM 
SUBJECT: BADEN-WUERTTEMBERG REMAINS SKEPTICAL OF 
SCIENTOLOGISTS, SLOW TO CONSIDER OFFER OF DIALOGUE 
 
REF: A. STATE 4493 B. BERLIN 1028 C. MUNICH 149 
 
Classified By: Consul General Peter Bodde, Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: Baden-Wuerttemberg (B-W) state authorities 
stand by their designation of the Church of Scientology (CoS) 
as an extremist sect and will continue official surveillance 
of CoS activities for the time being.  State government 
representatives are still considering our request (per ref A) 
for direct dialogue between CoS and local authorities. 
Follow-up discussions indicate that achieving progress will 
be difficult and will require continued USG engagement.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) On March 11, Poloff delivered Ref A points to 
Hans-Werner Carlhoff, head of Baden-Wuerttemberg's 
Interministerial Working Group on Sects, regarding USG 
support for the Church of Scientology's request for an 
informal dialogue with German authorities.  Carlhoff promised 
that the interministerial group would consider the USG 
demarche. 
 
3.  (C) Carlhoff pointed out "inaccuracies" in the latest USG 
Human Rights Report, namely that CoS is the only religion 
surveilled by B-W authorities (they monitor radical Islam as 
well) as well as the claim that CoS enjoys tax-exempt status 
in B-W (it does not).  According to Carlhoff, a de facto 
exchange already exists between the Church of Scientology and 
B-W authorities: the State Office for the Protection of the 
Constitution (OPC) mails its periodic public reports on 
Scientology to CoS representatives, and the CoS frequently 
sends copies of Scientologist literature to the B-W 
government. 
 
4.  (C) During the demarche, Poloff made clear that the USG 
views the CoS issue as one of religious freedom.  Carlhoff 
emphasized that Scientologists, like Satanists, are 
guaranteed freedom of conscience and religion under Article 
Four of Germany's constitution.  He noted, however, that 
Scientology tactics differ from those of other proselytizing 
groups like Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, calling CoS 
methods questionable and sometimes intimidating.  By way of 
example, he confided that the B-W CoS had forwarded the 
addresses of state politicians to CoS Europe headquarters for 
lobbying purposes, adding that CoS demonstrations in 
Stuttgart had featured a poster with his photo that said "Get 
Rid of Carlhoff".  He also claimed local Scientologist 
protestors often can't speak German, hinting that the Church 
recruits foreigners (particularly from the former Yugoslavia) 
to bolster its turnout at rallies. 
 
5.  (C) Carlhoff said that while the CoS does have local 
adherents, the organization is so tightly centralized that 
the B-W government has difficulty identifying genuine local 
decision-makers to engage as dialogue partners.  According to 
Carlhoff, local politicians who attempted to engage the CoS 
in dialogue in the past often found that the CoS used the 
meetings for propaganda purposes.  He also downplayed B-W's 
December 12 court verdict upholding CoS's non-profit status, 
qualifying the decision by explaining that it dealt only with 
CoS's charitable operations and not the organization as a 
whole. 
 
6.  (C) During an April 19 follow-up discussion, Carlhoff 
confirmed that B-W government officials are still examining 
the CoS request for dialogue but hinted that it would be 
difficult to open a dialogue with an organization under state 
surveillance.  We noted that (opportunities for) dialogue 
could occur at a variety of formal and informal levels and 
said that we would remain engaged on the issue. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
7.  (C) Skepticism and distrust of the Church of Scientology 
within the Baden-Wuerttemberg government are widespread, as 
evidenced by a December 2003 state parliament session in 
which various representatives harshly criticized the CoS and 
its activities.  While the CoS has asked for dialogue with 
high-level B-W government figures (including Minister for 
Culture Annette Schavan and State Secretary Helmut Rao), we 
believe that any meetings likely to occur will be informal 
and low-level.  Baden-Wuerttemberg representatives 
acknowledge our status as an interested party, but the 
state's continued categorization of the CoS as a subversive 
organization makes a self-sustaining dialogue unlikely at the 
present time.  Post will continue to engage B-W government 
representatives on the issue.  END COMMENT. 
BODDE