Changes

15 bytes added , 21:07, 23 February 2015

m

Line 11: Line 11:

==Controversies with Nina Gerlach, GWUP, Psiram (''EsoWatch'') and others==

−

[[image:GWUP-Freimaurer.jpg|Logo of GWUP-Blog, alleged proof of [[freemasonry]] and [[esotericism]] in skeptics' organisation GWUP according to Claus Fritzsche. Citation Fritzsche: ''Note the icon reminiscent of a freemason symbol in the top left corner of GWUP-blog. This symbolism and the lurid style of the blog and its commentators is hardly different from the stuff some „esoteric“ world conspiracy and doomsday groups come up with. You can almost see the foam at their mouths.''|300px|left|thumb]]

+

[[image:GWUP-Freimaurer.jpg|Logo of GWUP-Blog, alleged proof of [[freemasonry]] and [[esotericism]] in skeptics' organisation GWUP according to Claus Fritzsche. Citation Fritzsche: ''"Note the icon reminiscent of a freemason symbol in the top left corner of GWUP-blog. This symbolism and the lurid style of the blog and its commentators is hardly different from the stuff some „esoteric“ world conspiracy and doomsday groups come up with. You can almost see the foam at their mouths."''|300px|left|thumb]]

[[image:Fritzsche Rumsfeld2.jpg|Comments by Claus Fritzsche regarding edits of articles in German Wikipedia using the pseudonym "Rumsfeld2". According to Fritzsche, these edits were private "edit experiments". Wikipedia did not recognize them as regular writer activity and permanently banned Fritzsche for "vandalism"|thumb]]

−

Using the pseudonym of ''rumsfeld2'', Fritzsche tried to integrate his personal views on homeopathy into Wikipedia articles, without giving valid sources as required by Wikipedia regulations. Additionally, he repeatedly attempted to place links to his website psychophysik.com into articles. When this failed, he resorted to denigrating Wikipedia entirely, and started to publish respective [[Conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]] in his blog. Fritzsche's Wikipedia activities ended with his permanent ban for vandalism.<ref>http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:Rumsfeld-2</ref><ref>Posted: 16:46, Aug 21, 2007 Achim Raschka (Diskussion | Beiträge) sperrte „Rumsfeld-2 (Diskussion | Beiträge)“ für den Zeitraum: Unbeschränkt (Erstellung von Benutzerkonten gesperrt) (Verstoß gegen keine persönlichen Angriffe: Meinungsmache gegen einzelne Mitarbeiter und Verbreitung schwachsinniger Verschwörungstheorien, siehe http://openpr.de/news/153137/Wikipedia-im-Privateigentum-von-Nin)</ref> Fritzsche blamed his ban on a conspiracy of Nina Gerlach who was a board member of Wikimedia Germany e.V. at that point in time. In retaliation, he took up internet stalking Mrs Gerlach since then, publishing her alleged misconduct in his H. Blog and in OpenPR, an open access public relations ~~portal~~.<ref>http://www.openpr.de/pdf/153137/Wikipedia-im-Privateigentum-von-Nina-Gerlach.pdf</ref> Fritzsche later claimed his edits in German Wikipedia under the pseudonym Rumsfeld2 had just been private "edit experiments". Such experiments as well as linking to non-reputable sources (or blogs) do not comply with Wikipedia regulations.

+

Using the pseudonym of ''rumsfeld2'', Fritzsche tried to integrate his personal views on homeopathy into Wikipedia articles, without giving valid sources as required by Wikipedia regulations. Additionally, he repeatedly attempted to place links to his website psychophysik.com into articles. When this failed, he resorted to denigrating Wikipedia entirely, and started to publish respective [[Conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]] in his blog. Fritzsche's Wikipedia activities ended with his permanent ban for vandalism.<ref>http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:Rumsfeld-2</ref><ref>Posted: 16:46, Aug 21, 2007 Achim Raschka (Diskussion | Beiträge) sperrte „Rumsfeld-2 (Diskussion | Beiträge)“ für den Zeitraum: Unbeschränkt (Erstellung von Benutzerkonten gesperrt) (Verstoß gegen keine persönlichen Angriffe: Meinungsmache gegen einzelne Mitarbeiter und Verbreitung schwachsinniger Verschwörungstheorien, siehe http://openpr.de/news/153137/Wikipedia-im-Privateigentum-von-Nin)</ref> Fritzsche blamed his ban on a conspiracy led by Nina Gerlach who was a board member of Wikimedia Germany e.V. at that point in time. In retaliation, he took up internet stalking Mrs Gerlach since then, publishing her alleged misconduct in his H. Blog and in OpenPR, an open access public relations platform.<ref>http://www.openpr.de/pdf/153137/Wikipedia-im-Privateigentum-von-Nina-Gerlach.pdf</ref> Fritzsche later claimed his edits in German Wikipedia under the pseudonym Rumsfeld2 had just been private "edit experiments". Such experiments as well as linking to non-reputable sources (or blogs) do not comply with Wikipedia regulations.

−

Fritzsche is a pronounced opponent of the German skeptics' organisation [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWUP Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften (GWUP)] (Society for the Scientific Investigation of Para-Sciences) based in Roßdorf near Darmstadt. GWUP is well known in Germany and e.g. organised the [http://www.worldskeptics.org/ 6th World Skeptics Congress 2012]. Fritzsche accused GWUP, in his view a "group of atheist fundamentalists", of proceeding „esoterically“, „pseudoscientifically“, and „naively“. Fritzsche saw proof of this "esoteric" nature of the organisation in the GWUP logo which reminded him of a [[Masonry|„Freemason symbol“]]. Fritzsche believed GWUP to be part of a conspiracy in collaboration with German Scienceblogs and Psiram (''EsoWatch'').<ref>http://www.psychophysik.com/h-blog/?p=7326</ref> Cooperating with [[Rolf Finkbeiner]] (a climate skeptic, antivaccinationist, proponent of [[Germanic New Medicine]], etc.) and [[Hans Weidenbusch]] (inventor of a [[Perpetual Motion|perpetual motion]] device), Fritzsche was the initiator of an anti-Esowatch campaign started in early 2009. In March 2009, he transfered activities against GWUP and Nina Gerlach from his H.Blog to a new site called GWUP.WATCH<ref>http://anonym.to/?http://gwup-skeptiker.blogspot.com</ref>, attended by anonymous "press releases".<ref>http://pressemitteilung.ws/user/22028/track</ref> Various writers at scienceblogs.de, most notably Prof. Dr. Dr. Ulrich Berger and [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florian_Freistetter Florian Freistetter], were being "watched" by Claus Fritzsche.

+

Fritzsche was a pronounced opponent of the German skeptics' organisation [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWUP Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften (GWUP)] (Society for the Scientific Investigation of Para-Sciences) based in Roßdorf near Darmstadt. GWUP is well known in Germany and e.g. organised the [http://www.worldskeptics.org/ 6th World Skeptics Congress 2012]. Fritzsche accused GWUP, in his view a "group of atheist fundamentalists", of proceeding „esoterically“, „pseudoscientifically“, and „naively“. Fritzsche saw proof of this "esoteric" nature of the organisation in the GWUP logo which reminded him of a [[Masonry|„Freemason symbol“]]. Fritzsche believed GWUP to be part of a conspiracy in collaboration with German Scienceblogs and Psiram (''EsoWatch'').<ref>http://www.psychophysik.com/h-blog/?p=7326</ref> Cooperating with [[Rolf Finkbeiner]] (a climate skeptic, antivaccinationist, proponent of [[Germanic New Medicine]], etc.) and [[Hans Weidenbusch]] (inventor of a [[Perpetual Motion|perpetual motion]] device), Fritzsche was the initiator of an anti-Esowatch campaign started in early 2009. In March 2009, he transfered activities against GWUP and Nina Gerlach from his H.Blog to a new site called GWUP.WATCH<ref>http://anonym.to/?http://gwup-skeptiker.blogspot.com</ref>, attended by anonymous "press releases".<ref>http://pressemitteilung.ws/user/22028/track</ref> Various writers at scienceblogs.de, most notably Prof. Dr. Dr. Ulrich Berger and [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florian_Freistetter Florian Freistetter], were being "watched" by Claus Fritzsche.

Since November 2009, Fritzsche was also supported by [[Jocelyne Lopez]] (a layperson regarding physics criticising the theory of relativity) who quotes his publications against Psiram (''EsoWatch'') on GWUP.WATCH in her blog.<ref>The first reference to GWUP.WATCH in the blog of Jocelyne Lopez: [http://web.archive.org/web/20100131135534/http://www.jocelyne-lopez.de/blog/2009/11/ideologie-und-agitation-bei-scienceblogs-gwup-esowatch-und-alpha-centauri/ Ideologie und Agitation bei ScienceBlogs, GWUP, ESOWATCH und Alpha Centauri], November 2, 2009</ref> It was presumably just by coincidence that the begin of a cooperation between Fritzsche and Lopez was marked by the exposure of a forum user "webfox" who had criticised Lopez fiercely for her undifferentiated views on antisemitism and for holocaust denial and then became a target of Fritzsche.<ref>Jocelyne Lopez on accusations of holocaust denial: [http://web.archive.org/web/20090610052200/http://www.jocelyne-lopez.de/blog/2009/06/vorwurf-der-holocaustleugnung-im-mahag-forum-und-im-blog-von-thilo-kuessner/ Vorwurf der Holocaustleugnung im MAHAG-Forum und im Blog von Thilo Kuessner]. webfox was therefore "bullying" Lopez</ref>Fritzsche "unmasked" webfox on his GWUP.WATCH blog. Without restraint and without the slightest evidence, real persons were associated with the account ''webfox'', and IP addresses were published which he presumably received from Lopez. Fritzsche thus acted as a stooge of Jocelyne Lopez and perhaps also of [[Helmut Hille]] (a philosopher, physics layman and critic of the relativity theory).

Line 23: Line 23:

[[image:Fritzsche-SZ2.jpg|Article in Süddeutsche Zeitung (Source: [http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wissen/homoeopathie-lobby-im-netz-schmutzige-methoden-der-sanften-medizin-1.1397617])|360px|thumb]]

[[image:Fritzsche-SZ.jpg|Article in Süddeutsche Zeitung|360px|thumb]]

−

Fritzsche also ~~operates~~ a pharmalobby blog www.cam-media-watch.de, whose imprint also lists [[Harald Walach]]. Walach holds an endowed chair funded by Heel, a large producer of homeopathics, which in turn ~~supports~~ Fritzsche's CAM Media.Watch blog. The blog maintained by Walach's [[Institut für transkulturelle Gesundheitswissenschaften der Europa-Universität Viadrina]] [Institute of ~~transcultural health sciences~~] in turn again refers to CAM Media.Watch.

+

Fritzsche also operated a pharmalobby blog www.cam-media-watch.de, whose imprint also lists [[Harald Walach]]. Walach holds an endowed chair funded by Heel, a large producer of homeopathics, which in turn supported Fritzsche's CAM Media.Watch blog. The blog maintained by Walach's [[Institut für transkulturelle Gesundheitswissenschaften der Europa-Universität Viadrina]] [Institute of Transcultural Health Sciences] in turn again refers to CAM Media.Watch.

−

By its own account, the PR blog is supposed to assist journalists „''~~who~~ want to look behind the curtain of scientific research of natural remedies, complementary medicine, as well as unconventional ~~methods~~''“, thus providing public relations for pseudo medicine, in particular homeopathy. Fritzsche's blog used to be sponsored by several pharmaceutical companies, e.g. [[Weleda AG]], [[DHU|Deutsche Homöopathie-Union]] (DHU-Arzneimittel GmbH & Co. KG, Karlsruhe), [[Hevert Arzneimittel]] and [[Biologische Heilmittel Heel GmbH]], Baden-Baden, with an annual amount of 43.000 Euro ~~in sum~~.<ref>http://anonym.to/?http://www.cam-media-watch.de/?page_id=2</ref> According to an article in German daily newspaper ~~Süddeutschen~~ Zeitung from June 2012, Fritzsche was an author of ''"vituperative articles"'' and ''"apparently responsible for the denigration of critics of homeopathy"'' for DZVhÄ. Upon inquiry, DZVhÄ as well as several "producers of globuli" confirmed their sponsoring of the ~~blogs~~ which in part were volunteered by Fritzsche while for some blogs, Fritzsche was fully responsible as an editor in charge. According to SZ there was a kind of network of Munich Neural and "Noise-field" therapist Imke Plischko (board member of Internationale Gesellschaft für Neuraltherapie IGNH [International Society for Neural Therapy]), Claus Fritzsche, and Harald Walach. An e-mail available to SZ which Fritzsche distributed to his network, containing the draft of a scorcher on renowned journalist Max Rauner with a request for "examination of contents and style", SZ commented, was not compatible with journalistic principles.

+

By its own account, the PR blog was supposed to assist journalists ''„who want to look behind the curtain of scientific research of natural remedies, complementary medicine, as well as unconventional methods“'', thus providing public relations for pseudo medicine, in particular homeopathy. Fritzsche's blog used to be sponsored by several pharmaceutical companies, e.g. [[Weleda AG]], [[DHU|Deutsche Homöopathie-Union]] (DHU-Arzneimittel GmbH & Co. KG, Karlsruhe), [[Hevert Arzneimittel]] and [[Biologische Heilmittel Heel GmbH]], Baden-Baden, with an annual amount of altogether 43.000 Euro.<ref>http://anonym.to/?http://www.cam-media-watch.de/?page_id=2</ref> According to an article in German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung from June 2012, Fritzsche was an author of ''"vituperative articles"'' and ''"apparently responsible for the denigration of critics of homeopathy"'' for DZVhÄ. Upon inquiry, DZVhÄ as well as several "producers of globuli" confirmed their sponsoring of the blog which in part were volunteered by Fritzsche, while for some blogs, Fritzsche was fully responsible as an editor in charge. According to SZ there was a kind of network of Munich Neural and "Noise-field" therapist Imke Plischko (board member of Internationale Gesellschaft für Neuraltherapie IGNH [International Society for Neural Therapy]), Claus Fritzsche, and Harald Walach. An e-mail available to SZ which Fritzsche distributed to his network, containing the draft of a scorcher on renowned journalist Max Rauner with a request for "examination of contents and style", SZ commented, was not compatible with journalistic principles.

Quote from the SZ article:

−

"[...]Manufacturers of medicinal products finance a journalist who pillories critics of their products. For any conventional pharmaceutical company this would be regarded as a scandal. [...] Fritzsche’s sponsors are ~~the~~ popular manufacturers of homeopathic pills. Market leader is DHU, a subsidiary of [[Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG|Schwabe]] (well-known products are Kytta, Prostagutt, Tebonin).. [...] The sums they are dealing with are not peanuts: Total sales of all manufacturers amounts to 400 million Euro, 100 alone on behalf of DHU.[...] Fritzsche sees no problem in the sponsorship: “Nearly identical contracts exist with every sponsor”, he openly writes. “These contracts oblige me to respect relevant laws, to remain a neutral position regarding ideology, science and politics. Moreover they provide independency of my editorial work and my scientific advisory board.” ~~Also advertising~~ of products is strictly excluded.<br>But for a publisher of a journalistic blog ~~also~~ the Codex of the Press applies. “For the responsibility of the press towards the public it is common courtesy that editorial publications must not be biased by private or economical interests of third parties or personal economical interests of journalists.” Furthermore, “Anyone who lets himself be bribed for the publishing or suppressing of news acts dishonorable and against the values of his profession." How he reconciles this with his sponsoring, Fritzsche was asked. No answer to these questions from him, though several e-mails were written in which he criticized the “leading questions” and threatened to ~~instigate~~ legal measures.<br>Fritzsche has several more websites on which he recommends esoteric therapies ~~that~~ are not scientifically ~~acknowledged~~. Moreover he denigrated several journalists from Spiegel, Spiegel Online, Zeit, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Süddeutsche.de. And of course Edzard Ernst, again and again. The allegations are always the same: frivolous research, incompetence, lopsided and biased presentation of facts. Fritzsche counterlinks his sites to each other in order to improve their google ranking. Besides CAM Media.Watch, Fritzsche also holds the websites www.psychophysik.com, www.neuraltherapie-blog.de and www.esowatch.org.[...]''<ref>[http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wissen/homoeopathie-lobby-im-netz-schmutzige-methoden-der-sanften-medizin-1.1397617 Jens Lubbadeh: "Homöopathie-Lobby im Netz - Schmutzige Methoden der sanften Medizin", Süddeutsche Zeitung, 30.06.2012]</ref><ref>http://blog.gwup.net/2012/07/01/homoopathie-lobbyisten-ohne-schamgrenzen/</ref><ref>[http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2012/07/the-dirty-tricks-of-alternative-medicine.html The dirty tricks of alternative medicine], Translation of the article at Quackometer</ref>

+

:''"[...]Manufacturers of medicinal products finance a journalist who pillories critics of their products. For any conventional pharmaceutical company this would be regarded a scandal. [...] Fritzsche’s sponsors are popular manufacturers of homeopathic pills. Market leader is DHU, a subsidiary of [[Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG|Schwabe]] (well-known products are Kytta, Prostagutt, Tebonin).. [...] The sums they are dealing with are not peanuts: Total sales of all manufacturers amounts to 400 million Euro, 100 alone on behalf of DHU.[...] Fritzsche sees no problem in the sponsorship: “Nearly identical contracts exist with every sponsor”, he openly writes. “These contracts oblige me to respect relevant laws, to remain a neutral position regarding ideology, science and politics. Moreover they provide independency of my editorial work and my scientific advisory board.” Advertising of products is also strictly excluded.<br>But for a publisher of a journalistic blog the Codex of the Press applies, too. “For the responsibility of the press towards the public it is common courtesy that editorial publications must not be biased by private or economical interests of third parties or personal economical interests of journalists.” Furthermore, “Anyone who lets himself be bribed for the publishing or suppressing of news acts dishonorable and against the values of his profession." How he reconciles this with his sponsoring, Fritzsche was asked. No answer to these questions from him, though several e-mails were written in which he criticized the “leading questions” and threatened to initiate legal measures.<br>Fritzsche has several more websites on which he recommends esoteric therapies which are not acknowledged scientifically. Moreover he denigrated several journalists from Spiegel, Spiegel Online, Zeit, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Süddeutsche.de. And of course Edzard Ernst, again and again. The allegations are always the same: frivolous research, incompetence, lopsided and biased presentation of facts. Fritzsche counterlinks his sites to each other in order to improve their google ranking. Besides CAM Media.Watch, Fritzsche also holds the websites www.psychophysik.com, www.neuraltherapie-blog.de and www.esowatch.org.[...]"''<ref>[http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wissen/homoeopathie-lobby-im-netz-schmutzige-methoden-der-sanften-medizin-1.1397617 Jens Lubbadeh: "Homöopathie-Lobby im Netz - Schmutzige Methoden der sanften Medizin", Süddeutsche Zeitung, 30.06.2012]</ref><ref>http://blog.gwup.net/2012/07/01/homoopathie-lobbyisten-ohne-schamgrenzen/</ref><ref>[http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2012/07/the-dirty-tricks-of-alternative-medicine.html The dirty tricks of alternative medicine], Translation of the article at Quackometer</ref>

−

When criticism of CAM Media.Watch was voiced on Weleda's facebook pages in July 2012, Weleda-spokesman Theo Stepp declared ~~that~~ they ~~will~~ stop sponsoring the blog.<ref>Citation Facebook/Weleda: ''„Aufgrund der Debatte um das Blog CAM Media werden wir noch mehr als bisher auf Transparenz setzen, damit künftig keine Missverständnisse entstehen. Eine klare Trennung von Anzeigen und Redaktion ist uns wichtig. Wir sind am echten Austausch und Feedback interessiert. Das bisherige Blogsponsoring werden wir in diesem Falle sofort stoppen.

+

When criticism of CAM Media.Watch was voiced on Weleda's facebook pages in July 2012, Weleda-spokesman Theo Stepp declared they were going to stop sponsoring the blog.<ref>Citation Facebook/Weleda: ''„Aufgrund der Debatte um das Blog CAM Media werden wir noch mehr als bisher auf Transparenz setzen, damit künftig keine Missverständnisse entstehen. Eine klare Trennung von Anzeigen und Redaktion ist uns wichtig. Wir sind am echten Austausch und Feedback interessiert. Das bisherige Blogsponsoring werden wir in diesem Falle sofort stoppen.

Theo Stepp, Pressesprecher Weleda AG Deutschland“''</ref><ref>http://dieausrufer.wordpress.com/2012/07/09/weleda-und-die-weisheit-der-menschen/</ref>

−

==~~Zitate~~==

+

==Quotes==

−

*''Ohne Spitzenplätze bei Google wirft das Denunziations-Geschäft allerdings nur wenig Ertrag ab.'' (2012) (Without a Google top ranking, the defamatory business renders only small profits)

+

*''Ohne Spitzenplätze bei Google wirft das Denunziations-Geschäft allerdings nur wenig Ertrag ab.'' (2012) [Without a Google top ranking, the defamatory business renders only small profits]

==See also==

Halbmond

editor, reviewer

547

edits

Changes

Claus Fritzsche (view source)

Revision as of 21:07, 23 February 2015