{{Short description|German anti-fascist watchdog news website}} {{Infobox magazine | title = Belltower.News | editor_title = Editor-in-Chief | editor = Simone Rafael | category = Anti-fascist watchdog journalism | publisher = Amadeu Antonio Foundation | founder = ''Die Zeit'' | founded = 2007 | based = Berlin, Germany | language = German | website = {{URL|belltower.news}} }}'''''Belltower.News''''' is a German anti-fascist watchdog news website acting as the primary outlet of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Impressum |url=https://www.belltower.news/impressum/ |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=Belltower.News |language=de-DE}}</ref> Founded in 2007 by ''Die Zeit'', the site was known as '''''Netz gegen Nazis''''' until 3 April 2017.<ref>{{Cite news |last=ONLINE |first=ZEIT |date=2008-05-09 |title=Netz gegen Nazis |language=de-DE |work=Die Zeit |url=https://www.zeit.de/online/2008/19/netz-gegen-nazis-editorial |access-date=2023-11-18 |issn=0044-2070}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Belltower.News |first=Redaktion |date=2017-04-03 |title=Netz-gegen-Nazis.de wird Belltower.News |url=https://www.belltower.news/netz-gegen-nazis-de-wird-belltower-news-43394/ |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=Belltower.News |language=de-DE}}</ref>
== History == ''Netz gegen Nazis'' was initiated by Giovanni di Lorenzo, the editor-in-chief of ''Die Zeit'' near the end of 2007 with the help of several other organizations such as the German Football Association, German Olympic Sports Confederation, Die Liga – Fußballverband, German Fire Brigade Association, and the ZDF.<ref>{{Cite web |last=online |first=heise |date=2008-05-05 |title=Netz gegen Nazis: "Wachsame Löwen" im Internet und in Vereinen gegen Rechts |url=https://www.heise.de/news/Netz-gegen-Nazis-Wachsame-Loewen-im-Internet-und-in-Vereinen-gegen-Rechts-205290.html |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=heise online |language=de}}</ref> The stated aim of the website was, and still is, the combating of right-wing extremism, racism, antisemitism, as well as other forms of "group-based misanthropy".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2017-04-22 |title=Danksagung {{!}} Belltower News |url=http://www.belltower.news/seite/dank |access-date=2023-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422034708/http://www.belltower.news/seite/dank |archive-date=2017-04-22 }}</ref>
In 2009, the website was transferred to the ownership of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation of Anetta Kahane, which has managed it since.<ref name=":0" />
The name of the website was changed to ''Belltower.News – Netz für digitale Zivilgesellschaft'' on 3 April 2017.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=palasthotel |date=2017-04-03 |title=Aus Netz gegen Nazis wird Belltower News – Netz für digitale Zivilgesellschaft |url=https://www.amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de/aus-netz-gegen-nazisde-wird-belltowernews-8211/ |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=Amadeu Antonio Stiftung |language=de-DE}}</ref>
== Criticism == In a 2008 article, Die Welt journalist Thomas Lindemann criticized the project and its success, alleging that it might be counterproductive.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-11-16 |title=Nutzloses Netz gegen Nazis? - WELT |url=https://www.welt.de/welt_print/article2017361/Nutzloses-Netz-gegen-Nazis.html |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=DIE WELT |language=de}}</ref>
Parts of the German left have criticized Belltower.News for presenting critiques of Israeli politics as antisemitic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-24 |title=Klasse Gegen Klasse - Antwort auf Nicholas Potter: Warum man mit "Antideutschen" nicht für Befreiung kämpfen kann |url=https://www.klassegegenklasse.org/antwort-auf-nicholas-potter-warum-man-mit-antideutschen-nicht-gegen-antisemitismus-kaempfen-kann/ |access-date=2023-11-18 |language=de-DE}}</ref> This has also lead some to categorize the website as a part of the Anti-German current.<ref>{{Cite web |title=»Antideutsche« – links blinken, scharf rechts abbiegen … |url=https://www.mlpd.de/2018/kw41/antideutsche-links-blinken-scharf-rechts-abbiegen-1 |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=MLPD |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Warnung! Wie Spalter gegen den sich formierenden Kampf gegen die Rechtsentwicklung der Regierung und den antifaschistischen Kampf arbeiten |url=https://mlpd.net/broschueren/antideutsche-links-blinken-scharf-rechts-abbiegen/warnung-wie-spalter-gegen-den-sich-formierenden-kampf-gegen-die-rechtsentwicklung-der-regierung-und-den-antifaschistischen-kampf-arbeiten/ |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=MLPD |language=de}}</ref>
Some conservatives and right-wingers have frequently criticized Belltower.News for covering them instead of actual neo-nazis. Die Achse des Guten for example, wrote in a 2017 article: "As the publishers of [Belltower.News] have noticed, there are barely any "Nazis"; they are politically marginalized. The real enemy is the center of society, the liberal and conservative citizenry, or rather what is still left of it."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neues Geschäftsmodell von "Netz-gegen-Nazis" |url=https://www.achgut.com/artikel/neues_geschaeftsmodell_von_netz-gegen-nazis |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=www.achgut.com |language=de}}</ref>
== References == <references />
== External links ==
* [https://www.belltower.news/ Official website]
Category:German political websites Category:2007 establishments in Germany Category:Magazines established in 2007 Category:German news websites Category:Anti-racism in Germany Category:Anti-nationalism in Europe Category:Anti-fascist organisations in Germany Category:Left-wing activism
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