Black Propaganda?

Translated Transcript of German TV Documentary "Das Netz" on Scientology and the Real Estate Market, in which Dr. Reiner Fuellmich featured prominently.

Below a subtitled copy of a 1999 TV report on Reiner Fuellmich and Scientology is published.

Publication does not imply any conclusion.

Context:

The report was obtained from the wayback machine. It is a partial copy of a larger piece. Archived is the part pertaining to Attorney Reiner Fuellmich.

In November 2021 Reiner Fuellmich gave a statement concerning this report. In this statement Reiner Fuellmich said that the report had been banned by a ruling by a court in Hamburg. This decision does indeed prohibit the journalist Jens Monath and the TV station ZDF to continue to broadcast/disseminate the report. It contained amongst other items one quote by German expert on Scientology, Renate Hartwig, who is on the record saying “Dirty work and black propaganda for Scientology has been taken over by Mr. Fuellmich. Across the Nation.” There is no evidence that Reiner Fuellmich ever attempted or succeeded in getting an injunction against Ms. Hartwig. Also, in said statement of November 2021, Reiner Fuellmich evaded to answer some of the most important questions raised in the 1999 report:

Why did he distribute dossiers like Scientology does? The fact that he did is supported by a German court ruling from June of 1999, in which Reiner Fuellmich was found in breach of an earlier injuction.

Does he deny to have been in possession of documents which had been stolen by a Scientology operative? If not, how did he obtain these documents? Why did he use the documents in court cases where they did not help his clients?

With regard to presently ongoing procedures in court and in public about money from the corona investigative committee, it is remarkable that off-topic attacks on people such as Fuellmich's CIC-colleague Viviane Fischer, for example about her psychological constitution, her dress-style and other issues seem to resemble tactics of “Black Propaganda”.

Therefore, the translation and publication of this material seems relevant to gain a better understanding of what is going on in the case concerning Reiner Fuellmich and the CIC.

TRANSCRIPT (Translated version) of report “Das Netz - Scientology und der Immobilienmarkt” (The Network - Scientology and the real estate market), ZDF German Television, 1999
See Video recording below.

... Heinz Gerlach is highly respected. He is the editor of the trade magazine “Direkter Anlegerschutz” (Direct Investor Protection).

“What attorney Fuellmich does as a so-called investor protection lawyer, in my opinion, it is on the verge of fraud. He pretends - at least on the verge of deception - he pretends that he's doing something for investors. He stages great events, he does Entertainment. This is American Style,

And this is different from other lawyers, who litigate quietly on behalf & to the benefit of investors and who have already won against Bayrische Hypotheken-und Wechselbank, respectively against Hypovereinsbank, as its successor. In my opinion, such a lawyer is acting professionally. Fuellmich is not!” — Heinz Gerlach

Be that as it may.

The “Association for Protection of Livelihoods” (VfE) is the largest protection organization for damaged investors in Germany. Here, complaints from former clients of Attorney Fuellmich are mounting.

“They feel misrepresented. We have some clients now, who were clients of Fuellmich, and we're dealing with the banks, to find a solution.

Q: What did Fuellmich do in these cases?

A: Actually, it's nothing.”

The Livelihood Security Association has achieved initial success. A settlement was reached with HypoVereinsBank for about 100 victims. Fuellmich, by contrast, has just reached a single settlement. In early July 1999 he lost two of his model lawsuits in Wuerzburg against Hypovereinsbank in the first instance, so in Munich. He was denied legal aid in Stuttgart, because his lawsuit had no chance of success. Even if these decisions can be appealed.

“The victim felt cheated by attorney Fuellmich. He's doing the bank a favor, by keeping customers away from the bank. This could mean financial ruin for the defrauded.” — Johannes Fiala, Layer, VfE

Back to the Schaul brothers' business.

Many of their clients now have to worry about their livelihoods. Mr. and Mrs. Schwager bought their apartment from a subcontractor of the Schauls. The rent was guaranteed for five years, the resale price of this apartment was promised at almost twice the purchase price. Neither came true. The value of this apartment is declining steadily. The rent had to be lowered, in order to even find any tenants.

Thousands of people are experiencing the same as the Schwagers. It's not just buyers of real estate from Schaul.

Real estate companies and banks are the ones that profit in these deals. Especially Hypovereinsbank. It has funded tens of thousands of such property deals.

“Hypobank has been operating like this since the Eighties - which we've been attacking this since the Eighties - The wrong target group may even get the right apartment, because they provide funds for small investors. It's morally criminal if you will. Here, you must also blame the Schauls brothers. They looked for customers at this level.” — Heinz Gerlach

Therefore, the accusation against Schauls is justified. But whether they can really bear legal responsibility for the losses caused to investors, this is questionable.

However, another allegation threatens Schauls' commercial survival. That is the allegation of being Scientologists.

In order to clarify this allegation, we make a trip to one of the most renowned experts on Scientology in Germany.

Renate Hartwig lives in a small village near Ulm. She is not without controversy. She has a lot of enemies. But Mrs. Hartwig is the one, where well-known companies such as Siemens, Allianz, DASA and Audi get information about the impact of Scientology on the economy.

First of all, she explained to us how Scientology wants to gain influence over companies. The only goal of the organization is: power.

“If we look at a real estate market now, we find that the goal is to establish a Monopoly in order to dominate the real estate market. Everyone involved in it may succeed if they partake. If they want to get out they'll be in trouble. If they don't want to join at all, of course, you try to get rid of them somehow. To get them into bankruptcy. If necessary, it is done by character assassination.” — Renate Hartwig

Regarding the accusation that the Schauls were Scientologists she didn't find any evidence even after months of research,.

For Renate Hartwig, one thing is certain: The Schaul brothers are being discredited and pushed out of the market.

“I never doubted, not even doubted, because they are too open, they let me go into the office at once and put everything on the desk. I was able to see that both Schauls were completely panicked, when they saw that I was able to prove it to them, how several of their sales structures had been targeted by several Scientologists.

Of course, I realized this dimension very well. Innovatius Inc., the Schaul sales team, represents a competitor to Scientology in the whole real estate story.”
— Renate Hartwig

Indeed, there had been an attempt to subvert the Schaul company. But it failed.

Flashback.

In 1991, Schauls' company was a thriving business. A young woman found many documents in her husband's filing cabinet. Her husband is the owner of the Schaul brothers' subcontractor. She suspected that her husband was guided by Scientology.

That same evening, she went to Renate Hartwig and showed her the documents. After reviewing them Scientology expert Hartwig arrives at the conclusion: The Suspicion is warranted. Scientologists control one of Schauls' subcontractors.

The Mastermind: Eberhard Knaupp. He successfully infiltrated a Schaul subcontractor as "management consultant". Knaupp is a Scientologist. A large number of documents prove that, which are in our possession. Knaupp makes himself indispensable. The company provided him with a Porsche and paid a high fee.

“I was certainly very surprised when I saw the evidence, In fact, there was a real picture book infiltration. As far as one person is concerned, a Scientologist from the Ark Technology Center, which is a scientology VIP center at Degerloch near Stuttgart.” In fact, a management consultant was introduced into this sales team. This person controlled everything. The company operates in exactly the same way as Scientology envisages their operations.” — Renate Hartwig

Renate Hartwig reveals the true identity of management consultant Eberhard Knaupp who immediately leaves Schauls' subcontractor. After that, the Schaul brothers asked Renate Hartwig for clarification.

There is a meeting in a restaurant at Stuttgart airport. The Schauls want to know to what extent their corporate network has been upended by Scientology. The evidence gradually solidifies: The Schauls have long been targeted by Scientology.

Hansjuergen Schaul commented on this today.

“In October 1991, a Mr. Zabel was with us in our office. Mr. Zabel is a management trainer. My brother Friedbert Schaul also participated in the discussion as well as the managing director of one of our affiliated franchise companies.

In this conversation, Mr. Zabel pointed out that it would be positive if our managers were trained about this management practice. This was the main idea of this conversation.

We refused at the end of this conversation. Why? We can't say exactly today. This decision was probably made out of gut instinct.”

The Schauls did not know then: Zabel and Partners are veteran Scientologists, who still work as management trainers in Stuttgart today. Back then they trained according to the techniques of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbart.

In a letter, we asked Wolfgang Zabel about his connection to Schauls.

The answer comes from Zabel's lawyer: Zabel neither visited the Schauls nor had any other personal contact with them.

Hansjuergen Schaul's statement and Wolfgang Zabel's letter speak to the opposite. It is evidence that Zabel had at least written contact with Brothers Schaul and offered them his services. Zabel's lawyer further claimed that his client was no longer a Scientologist. Wolfgang Zabbel's own statement proves the opposite. On this Internet homepage, the date is 27. July 1999, he calls himself a Scientologist.

This is the classic strategy of Scientology: Subvert the enterprise. Scientology also tried to use a similar method to Schaul's case in other companies according to the investigations of the Constitutional Protection Bureau of Baden-Wuerttemberg.

“There are all kinds of programs now. Either a company entrepreneur brings a management trainer into his company of which he doesn't know they work according to L.Ron Hubbart Tech, which brings it into the company. So you can basically make a company go Scientology.

The other is trying to put people there, who are Scientologists, and who then in their own way try to introduce L.Ron Hubbart's technology into the company.”
— Beatrice Boeninger, Office for Protection of the Constitution, Baden - Wuerttemberg

Although the Schaul brothers succeeded in stopping the infiltration of their company, they continue to be harassed:

Anonymous leaflets are being distributed: They said, “Stop the Scientology brothers Schaul & Co.” They point out the real estate objects with excessively high prices.

Lawyer Fuellmich has since repeatedly brought the same charge. The Schaul brothers can not escape the headlines. The allegation of being Scientology sticks.

The slander campaign seems to be an attempt, to discredit Schauls' Company, thus driving it out of the market. After the infiltration attempts failed.

“If someone gets in the way of Scientology's goal, then Scientology won't simply accept it. Instead, they actually try to take action against the people concerned. These may be smear campaigns. This may be an attempt, to denigrate this person everywhere. So there are all kinds of strategies.

For example, one of Scientology's strategies is - that's what Scientology calls it -‘Noisy investigation’ - investigate with a lot of noise.”
— Dr. Helga Lerchenmueller, Aktion Bildungsinformation

In other words: Something will get stuck, if you repeat it enough, loud enough. This is what happened to the Schaul brothers.

Scientology critic Renate Hartwig spent more than a year reviewing its operations. Her results: The Schauls are not Scientologist.

For Ms. Hartwig's work, the Schauls paid 50,000 marks to the “Robin Direkt” Society. Afterwards, and unsolicited. This association was founded by Renate Hartwig to fight against Scientology.

But the Schaul brothers went even further. They sought advice & support from the Baden-Wuerttemberg Constitutional Protection Bureau. There, people are convinced that Schauls are not Scientologist.

For Renate Hartwig and her husband, the Schaul brothers' case was closed, but Hartwig's clear stance on behalf of Schaul must have made herself a target for Scientology again. Because against them dossiers have been circulating for many years against them, too, which are aimed at discrediting her as a critic of Scientology.

In her case, the sender has clearly shown himself: It is Scientology.

Charges, alleged penalty orders, false statements, some of them have been banned from dissemination by the courts.

We also received some documents. But in our case, the sender was Attorney Reiner Fuellmich. To that end, we asked Renate Hartwig:

“I tried to help a company stop the infiltration by individual Scientologists. Now, years later, a lawyer Fuellmich appears, who writes in legal briefs concerning Hypobank, this is a completely different matter. This is about small investors. It is about buying a appartments, he wrote a lot in these pleadings. Stuff I only knew from Scientology's black propaganda on me. And it's actually a thing, I can boil it down for you to a denominator:

Dirty work and black propaganda for Scientology has been taken over by Mr. Fuellmich. Across the Nation. This does make me think ...” — Renate Hartwig

Beatrice Boeniger, Buero of Protection of the Constitution:

“Black propaganda, There is also a special term. It's called a ‘dead agent package’. So, you finish that person off, you destroy them. You'll find everything about him, all which discredits them. All what casts them in dubious light.

For example, you approach their neighbor and you say: ‘You know, this man should appear as a juror, but have you heard that he always beats his wife? He apparently has a drinking problem.’

That man does not at all. But there is something in the other person's mind. That's how it works.”

Rainer Fuellmich positions himself as a lawyer whose concern is to protect his clients.

But why did he distribute dossiers like Scientology does? Why does he make accusations whose dissemination has been prohibited by the courts?

Reiner Fuellmich rejects any contact with Scientology, but can he also rule out indirect guidance from Scientology?

Four times, Dr. Fuellmich promised in writing to be interviewed on camera and in front of a microphone. He eventually canceled, though.

There is also another institution that speaks for the defrauded investors: “Aktion Solidaritaet”. (Solidarity Action) Fuellmich works closely with that group. It also has a booth at his big event in Goettingen.

Chairman Christel Zank records the victim's address. She wants to write to Members of the Bundestag, in order to arouse people's attention to the fate of those harmed.

“If you trust us,” [laughs] Now you have to blindly trust us... You will be added to the new letter, which will be delivered, so they would notice... It is not one case, or two, three... or ten. There are many.” — Christel Zank

Website: www.immobilienbetrug.de. Here, Solidarity Action presents its work. A list of names of board members in charge, including Karin Keller, who is in charge of press relations.

She played an important role in the conflict between Reiner Fuellmich and the Schaul brothers. In 1994, she wrote a book, “Quick money dream”. Her pen name at the time was Kim Feldman.

In her book, the Schauls are also accused of being scientologists. “Solidarity Action” takes this accusation at face value.

Fuellmich, in turn, quotes Karin Keller and her book when he discredits Schauls.

“It began with Zabel in October 1991. These leaflets appeared, calling us 'Scientologists'.

Karin Keller, aka Kim Feldman, is writing a book about us. We are called Scientologists again,

Last but not least, now Fuellmich, attorney Fuellmich appears. He refers to Karin Keller / Kim Feldman and he himself, too, calls us Scientologists.

It started with Zabel trying to infiltrate us. With Fuellmich, it comes around full circle again.” — Hansjuergen Schaul

However, even Karin Keller has now retracted her charges, admitting they were fake. According to the information we have, she stated that the Schauls in the book are not the same as the Schauls from Heilbronn.

The publisher retracted the book.

Our research further proves another point: Karin Keller was in direct contact with Scientology. She took classes there, so she is also a Scientologist.

We asked Christel Zank, chairman of Aktion Solidaritaet, to talk to us. Her response: She has no time.

Our request to Karin Keller remains unanswered,

But lawyer Fuellmich said something: On the Internet, a letter was published on the homepage of ‘Action Solidarity’. This time, as the author of ZDF, I am the target.

Fuellmich claims: Monath was a mole, apparently in the pockets of HypoBank and the Schaul brothers.

Scientology in the real estate market.

We learn more about what Scientology is doing to destroy their opponents. In Duesseldorf, we met with a former member of the organization. He's even been an OSA employee, some kind of Scientology Secret Service.

“Anyone who criticizes Scientology must know that he is being attacked and monitored by OSA, his reputation is discredited. It also uses undemocratic and even covert methods.” — Guenther Beckstein

Our informant wants to remain anonymous. He knows who German Scientologists fight most fiercely.

“This is clear when Scientologists talk to each other. Of course, Mrs Hartwig is the worst opponent.” — Former Scientology Insider, anonymous

Our informant shared the apartment with another Secret Service agent. Martin Beyer.

In 1992, Beyer succeeded in gaining the trust of Renate Hartwig, acting as deserter from Scientology. He stayed at her house for several weeks. During this period, invoices and other documents disappeared. It is unclear whether Beyer is involved.

But the truth is that Martin Beyer went into hiding when Renate Hartwig discovered his true identity.

A few years later, copies of the stolen documents reappeared - as part of the Reiner Fuellmich dossiers. He probably sent them to cast a shadow over Renate Hartwig.

Where did Fuellmich get these files? Is Martin Beyer the source?

Beyer's career has been impressive. Until recently, his name was on the SPD Party's list of cult advisers. Renate Rennebach's office, the cult political spokesman of the SPD parliamentary group tries to play it down: The evidence against Beyer was not clear.

In May 1999, however, Beyer disappeared from the SPD's list of cult matters, four years after being exposed by Renate Hartwig.

Beyer himself refuses to have any contact with Scientology. Our witness stands by his story.

“That's what I know about Martin Beyer: He worked for further OSA operations. At least until the fall of 1998.” — Former Scientology Insider, anonymous

Duesseldorf, February 17th, 1999. We meet Fuellmich for the first time. Before that, we just talked on the phone. Fuellmich already had inquired about me.

Monath: “Good day, my name is Monath.”

Fuellmich: “Ah. Mr Monath.”

Fuellmich: “Quick: Who do you work for now?”

Monath: “ZDF. As we've discussed before”

Fuellmich: “Yes, but just, so I talked to XX. He doesn't know you.”

Monath: “XX doesn't know me. He is in a different department (foreign policy).”

Fuellmich: “Really?”

Monath: “I even brought my ID card.”

Fuellmich: “Ok. Show it, please.”

Fuellmich: “Ok.”

Fuellmich: “In this regard, you have to be quite careful... Ok. All clear.”

In the letter published on the Internet, Attorney Fuellmich not only accuses me I was bought by Hypo Bank as a mole. He also claimed that I showed him my ZDF parking permit in Duesseldorf. ZDF does not have a parking permit.

In Duesseldorf, Renate Hartwig filed a lawsuit against Reiner Fuellmich. She wants to get an injunction against Fuellmich to omit the claims of slander against her. Renate Hartwig won the first trial.

It is worth noting who Reiner Fuellmich called as a witness in this trial: Ursula Caberta. Ms. Caberta is the head of the Senate's “unit on Scientology” in Hamburg. However, Mrs Caberta has also been sued in a similar case.

She was also barred by the court from bringing charges against Ms. Hartwig, that are essentially consistent with those of Reiner Fuellmich.

At the time, Caberta's assertions were seen by the court as defamatory slander.

We asked Ursula Caberta for an interview several times. She unexpectedly canceled a first appointment in the same week that we received the rejection from Reiner Fuellmich.

Is there a connection between Reiner Fuellmich and Ursula Caberta?

In May 1999, we sent our interview questions in writing to Ursula Caberta and Reiner Fuellmich. Fuellmich responds with a caveat: His reply shall not be used in our reporting.

Caberta doesn't even answer our questions.

Although we lack answers, it is obvious that Scientology apparently succeeded in setting up a network, in which followers and opponents, pepetrators and victims, those who are complicit and those who innocent, can no longer be distinguished.

This seems to be Scientology's new strategy: bring confusion and uncertainty about who are friends and who are foes.

The example of the Schaul brothers is particularly clear about this new strategy:

First, Scientologist tried to infiltrate the real estate company. Later, they tried to drive the company out of the real estate market. At least that's how Renate Hartwig sees it.

She has allies in the highest positions in government.

“I make no secret of the fact that I had read some of Mrs. Hartwig's books myself and gained a lot. So I think, in general, her work also serves to deal with Scientology.

And Scientology's criticism of Mrs. Hartwig just shows that anyone whose conspiracy is exposed will lash out at the person who exposed them. I appreciate Mrs. Hartwig's work.” — Guenther Beckstein, Minister of the Interior, Free State Bavaria

If Renate Hartwig was right to assume that Schauls business was being subverted at that time this would not be an isolated incident.

In Baden-Wuerttemberg alone, at least 60 companies are managed by Scientology, according to the Constitutional Protection Bureau. Financial companies and companies of business consultants and real estate agents.

“The real estate market in Baden-Wuerttemberg is already very much infiltrated. So if you look through a regional magazine and look at the weekend advertisements, you will find that on almost every page with real estate advertisements, at least one company influenced by Scientology.” — Dr. Helga Lerchenmüller

Scientologists are on the rise not only in Baden-Wuerttemberg: Companies in Hamburg are also influenced by Scientology.

Goetz Brase, a leading Scientologist and real estate manager, Headquartered in Hamburg. He was exposed in the media in 1991.

A Scientology dropout is prepared to talk to us. She would not reveal her identity out of concern for her family. At the time, she says, her life was entirely determined by work and Scientology. After work she had to attend classes at the so-called Scientology Church. There, she underwent regularly the infamous “auditing”. Outsiders think of it as “brainwashing”.

“In retrospect I'd say it was horrible, In retrospect it was scarier than when I was there.

When I was there, I felt like a machine with 70-hour work per week, and additional duties to spend an extra 12 - 15 hours a week at the organization, in an auditing or a seminar. On top of that I was also asked to go to work on Sundays. I just felt like a machine.” — Former Scientology Insider, anonymous

The physical consequences of this brainwashing, she says, can destroy the personality completely.

Scientologists have to spend most of their wealth on auditing meetings.

Behind the self-styled church of Scientology are entirely economic interests, it was said.

"Brase's mission was to have Scientology expand throughout all of Germany, His goal was to create large real estate empires in major German cities out of nothing in order to make a lot of money. To spend a lot of money on advertisements for Scientology, supporting the Orgs there.

Where the Orgs have been is where Brase went, and where staff have been placed. So in Duesseldorf, Berlin, Munich.” — Former Scientology Insider, anonymous

Scientology has their own business association, WISE. In order to become a member, each scientology company pays up to $40,000 in one lump sum. In addition, 10% of the total income must be paid. WISE is the financial power base of Scientology.

How much money does the organization have? Nobody knows.

“WISE is a so-called economy-based organization and the task is (my words) to use economic power in order to gain political influence.” — Renate Hartwig

To cover up the true ownership Scientologist real estate companies often change their names, such as H&P in Hamburg. Until recently, it was called “Zweite CKS”.

A household name is associated with the history of this company. It is Goetz Brase, according to the business registration file. Currently the managing director of H&P is Sybille Rhode. According to our witnesses, there is no doubt that Sybille Rhode was a Scientologist at least until a few months ago. Documentation in ZDF's possession proves this.

Another example from eastern Germany.

The largest real estate company in Zwickau is named after Schloss Osterstein. Its owner, Kurt Fliegerbauer. He runs his business from this villa

He bought, renovated and sold a total of 205 houses over the past few years.

Fliegerbauer prides himself on his association with high-level figures and likes to use them as threats. Kurt Fliegerbauer revealed in the media that he is a Scientologist, as reported in 1994.

“You have to imagine the web this way, It's like all of Germany has a network of nodes, and these nodes are always loyal Scientologists. There is a tiny net in the middle. They don't have to be Scientologists even. They are people, for example, architects, which are economically dependent. These people are subcontractors. Whether it's the tiler for the bathroom, the window man, or the stonemason who builds the house, it doesn't really matter.

They earn their bread with Scientologists, they just comply, it is just like a mafia structure.” — Renate Hartwig

In the past, Kurt Fliegerbauer handled a lot of business through what was then Hypobank, now Hypovereinsbank.

This letter was written on August 30, 1995, by HypoBank to Scientologist Fliegerbauer. “We are not aware of anything negative about your company”, it says.

Signatories include Klaus Aumiller. At that time, he held a leading position in the loans department at Hypobank. Two years later, his name reappears elsewhere: He is now the treasurer of Schloss Osterstein Fliegerbauer's firm. Therefore, he is inevitably a close collaborator of the Scientologist.

Fliegerbauer is not the only example of Scientologists’ influence on the real estate market. Names of Klaus Kempe, Jochen Knewitz, Gerd Weber add to the list of Scientology real estate agents.

“A Mr. Fliegerbauer and a Mr. Kempe, a Knewitz in Baden-Wuerttemberg, a Gerd Weber, and many other. Too many for me to name them here. The broadcast would continue for the next forty-five minutes just naming names. That's of no use for anyone,

This is a fact: The network is there, all the way to politics. Because there are politicians on the board of supervisors and committees of banks. They all closed their eyes and looked the other way. Otherwise, Scientologists, who play a leading role in the real estate network, couldn't have become so big.” — Renate Hartwig

Over the past few years, Munich-based Hypobank has funded projects at several companies managed by Scientology.

Does HypoVereinsBank think it is entangled in Scientology’s network?

Spokesman for Hypovereinsbank: “We face up to this problem, the problem of Scientology Church is very clear in this bank.

Therefore, there is a very clear policy in this regard. This means: not doing business with Scientologists. If this happens because you don't know the background of your business partner, then it will be cleaned up at that very moment when there are irrefutable data on the table.”

Q: “What does it mean: cleaned up?”

A: “This means that we will sever links with that business partners.”

Q: “This is also the case with Fliegerbauer? Who did big business with you.”

A: “This applies to all commitments affected.”

Q: “This means that you have terminated your contract with Fliegerbauer? No longer provide loans to Fliegerbauer anymore?”

A: “Of course, I can't speak in public about individual engagements.”

Scientology has power, influence and money, especially in the real estate sector. Even if the organization itself sees it differently:

Scientology claims that only 40 of its members work in the real estate industry nationwide.

Scientology, as an organization, purports to neither own stakes in real estate companies nor to have the right to give instructions.

But this may be a new strategy: Companies and leaders are not necessarily members of Scientology. It is enough that they consciously or unconsciously act for the benefit of the organization. This has another advantage: Even if Scientology is banned by law, these companies could continue to operate.

Also helpful to Scientology is media coverage, which downplays Scientology's influence. On the contrary: Downplaying, obfuscation, blurring the lines:

This seems to be Scientology's new strategy. Our witness confirmed this:

“The blurred line between Scientologists and non-Scientologists. Which means that critics of scientology, for example, Mrs. Hartwig, are now associated with Scientology, many times it was claimed she's a Scientologist. Other Scientologists suddenly claimed they had nothing to do with Scientology and then spread it to the public by way of court proceedings.” — Former Scientologist, anonymous

The net is woven finely, almost invisible.

• A former senior employee of Hypobank goes to work at a top Scientologist.

• A lawyer representing thousands of small investors against real estate distributors and banks, keeps introducing Scientology time and time again without it being helpful to his clients in any way.

• Someone who is suspected to be Scientology Secret Service has been listed on the SPD's list of cult advisers until recently.

• A well-known Scientology opponent openly faces accusations, against which she has been able to successfully protected herself so far.

• There is an attempt to thwart our coverage.

These are examples. These examples show the true extent of Scientology's economic ties in Germany.

The goals of the organization are clear.

“Scientology wants to make money. Exploit people, create an organizational structure which serves a purpose of profits. But beyond that, Scientology is always about gaining power. Therefore they want the corresponding organizational form to exercise power, economically, but at the end of the day also politically.” — Guenther Beckstein, then Minister of the Interior, Free State Bavaria