Lawsuit by German Government Over Website

[SarcasticBlonde]

Hello :wink:

I have an internet site that is just my own personal, goofing around, something to do thing. It's not funded, I don't have any ads, I don't get any money from anyone (well, I got $42 in donations this year ) Fortunately or no, I get millions of hits a year. It's not a porn site, it's just humor and interesting things I find when reading. There are over 700 pages. I get a ton of hits a year tho, because I'm pretty damn funny and present weird, interesting things. Or so I hope to do.
I got a registered letter, three pages long, return reciept.. from what looks to be a branch of the German Government saying they are suing me because 2 pages of the site have content they find ...well, they list "pornographic/antisemetic/racist/overly violent". It's all in German so I have no idea what they want except they're requesting me to show up for this hearing. I thought it was a joke.
I won't go into the detail of the two pages in question so I don't ramble on this, but they are scanned photos..one from an Israeli newspaper which was also all over the Internet and then one that has been in many famous books from as far back as WW2, in fact I think I got it out of a Time-Life book. They're not in any way in any category listed. I am totally stumped.
I THINK they're saying that my web site will be banned or restricted to minors, or something, over there. Or those pages will be. To wish I say "fine by me, whatever". A friend who thinks he knows some German said this is a LAW SUIT tho. Like I can't just say "whatever", they're actually going to go after me on this. I know some can email your ISP and ask for the site to be shut down or things like that, and so I don't know what I'm up against but it's dumb as tub of puppies. Mostly what I own to sue for is a lot of Tupperware and one cat.
Has anyone heard of this? It's beyond ridiculous; I'm just a nobody who does the site as a hobby and ain't bothering a soul. Who in the Sam Hill is the German government tell me what I can and can't put on a web site I own in the good US of A?

Thanks for any help!

[Mr. Knowitall]

You should try to find somebody who can translate the document for you, so you can understand what it says.

Is this perhaps a problem with Holocaust denial or Holocaust revisionism? The German government takes that type of content seriously, even if presented in 'jest'.

[seanrega]

I know the German government has recently engaged in legal crusades against the content of many many websites, including such sites as rotten.com and ageofconsent.com. I would reccomend locating other situations like your own, probably either of those two. I am not a lawyer myself (yet ), but I do know there are things you can do to protect yourself. I am not sure what they can really do as far as your personal standing is concerned; I understand that they can censor content within their own borders. Mrknowitall is right, though -the German government does a lot of litigation regarding antisemitism because it tends to serve domestic politicians... (see Chancellor Schroeder). Best of luck.

[erik63]