Memory Culture, Israel and Genocide: Criminalizing Speech in Germany

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with German journalist Hanno Hauenstein about Germany's memory culture and the treatment of the Holocaust as a unique historical event, as compared to the genocide of the Herero and Nama people and others. They discuss the idea of Germany's Staatrason - or reason for being - which has been characterized as protecting Israel, right or wrong as well as and Hanno's work in the Guardian which highlights the criminalization of Palestine-related speech and the unprecedented effort to deport EU citizens for their Palestine advocacy. Read Hanno's new piece in the Guardian, "Germany is now deporting pro-Palestine EU citizens. This is a chilling new step" (4/3/25) and in +972 Magazine, "Germany moves to deport four foreign residents for pro-Palestine activism," (4/1/25). Hanno Hauenstein is a Berlin-based independent journalist and author. His work has appeared in publications including The Guardian, The Intercept, and Berliner Zeitung. Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a 2025 Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.