Der Staat gegen Steinhöfel by Joachim Steinhöfel - unsigned

The new book by #1 Spiegel bestseller author ("The Digital Guardianship") Joachim Steinhöfel

What happens when the state no longer protects its citizens from attacks, but instead becomes the attacker itself?

Joachim Steinhöfel, Germany's most prominent advocate for freedom of expression, documents an alarming development: the systematic campaign by state institutions against freedom of speech. In 2024 alone, Steinhöfel brought 16(!) lawsuits against the German federal government – and won all of them. Using these cases against ministries, authorities, and disputes with the BKA, he demonstrates that these are unconstitutional interventions by the state against one of our most important fundamental rights. The reason: the growing fear among those in power of criticism of power that they can no longer control.

The Anatomy of Repression

From the Federal Office of Justice to government spokespersons who publicly defame citizens: the state uses its resources as a weapon against its citizens. Steinhöfel unmasks the "state-industrial censorship complex" – a toxic network of ministries and funded NGOs that, under the guise of "civil society," accomplish what the state is forbidden to do by the Basic Law: intimidate its citizens and censor free speech.

Why this book is a wake-up call:

- The "Tulsa King" doctrine: How the state outsources paternalism and harassment to NGOs to circumvent the Basic Law.

- The authoritarian mindset: Steinhöfel analyzes the rhetoric of Nancy Faeser, Robert Habeck, and Lisa Paus and shows how ministers reinterpret the Basic Law into a mere "position paper."

- Justice in the wake of politics: From house searches for "idiot" memes to the hunt for opinions "below the threshold of criminality."

- The West divides: While the USA defends freedom of expression as a shield for citizens, Europe, through the Digital Services Act (DSA), becomes a global pioneer for state paternalism and the persecution of platform operators.

When Ministers Fear Freedom

This book provides an analysis of a political elite that fears uncontrolled public opinion and entrenches itself behind a protective wall of public-service media and vague legal terms such as "hate and incitement" and "disinformation."

"Our fundamental rights are defensive rights against the state." Joachim Steinhöfel reminds us why we must defend these rights more resolutely than ever today. An indispensable work for anyone who cares about the continued existence of our constitutional state.