Ivo Sasek

Ivo Sasek (born 10 July 1956) is a Swiss-German lay preacher, author of religious writings and leader of the religious sect Organic Christ Generation (OCG), which he founded in 1999. This organization, classified as a cult, has between two and three thousand German-speaking members. In 2008, Sasek founded the Anti-Censorship Coalition (; AZK), a forum for right-wing esotericism, conspiracy theories, antisemitism, xenophobia and historical revisionism, including Holocaust denial. From Sasek's Panorama Center in Walzenhausen, Switzerland, these organizations and their numerous media outlets are run, including the online channel Klagemauer.tv. Sasek rejects an open, democratic and pluralistic society.

Personal background Sasek was born in Zürich and is a trained car mechanic. According to his own account, he experienced a visionary conversion to Christianity in 1977. In 1978, he left his job, joined the Newlife movement and worked, among other things, as a preacher at Gospelradio Zürich. He attended a Bible school, though did not graduate. The school reportedly rejected his visionary experiences as Pentecostal spiritual gifts. Beginning in 1980, Sasek became known for his work with drug addicts and gained his first followers. In 1984 he founded the Obadja Drug Rehabilitation Center in Walzenhausen. This was followed by a School of Life and a Discipleship School. He began a church teaching ministry, traveling to churches in German-speaking countries and spreading his messages through writings and audio tapes. Around 1999, he introduced an assessment ministry to evaluate a person's spiritual condition, which gave rise to the Organic Christ Generation (; OCG).

Sasek has been married since 1983. , Anni and Ivo Sasek have eleven children, who, beginning in 2010 joined their parents in spreading the teachings of the OCG. During the summer months, they regularly went on tours featuring original musicals, children's songs, films, and personal testimonies. A network of home groups made up of OCG followers organized their performances, during which they portrayed themselves as successors to their father's teachings, an ideal Christian family, and role models for the OCG's "organic" family and church life. Three sons —including Simon, who was to become his successor—as well as a daughter-in-law, have since left the group.

Organic Christ Generation (OGC) End-time claim to absoluteness Sasek considers himself "the perfecter of the Reformation" and a "true theologian" who speaks "God's current word in this age."

Sasek's teachings give rise to a strong distrust of governmental institutions and a confrontational stance toward authorities. For example, the OCG rejects mandatory vaccinations, sex education, and evidence-based educational approaches, which often leads its adherents into conflict with schools, child welfare agencies, and family courts. OCG groups network and propagandize through digital media, courses, and training camps. Despite its relatively small membership of around 2,000, the OCG is said to reach tens of thousands of people at times.

By November 2018, more people had left the OCG, including Sasek's eldest son, Simon. Almost all of them told Austrian broadcaster ORF about serious experiences of violence, but out of fear of reprisals, did not want to go on camera or would only do so anonymously. Since 2018, however, Simon has been running a YouTube channel where he speaks openly about his departure. Sasek attributed his son's departure to "persecution by the mass media" and declined to be interviewed.

Data collection According to research by Bayerischer Rundfunk, in January 2020 the OCG asked its supporters to collect data on politicians and journalists and find out "who is friend or foe". By the end of April 2020, the OCG had collected and stored private data on approximately 8,200 people from German-speaking countries, mostly publicly available information such as home addresses, cell phone numbers, religious affiliation, nationality and sexual orientation. Those affected include representatives of all German political parties, state parliaments and the Bundestag (parliament), as well as civil servants, journalists and activists—including critics of the sect and several chairmen of Jewish institutions. For some, their "Jewish heritage" is noted. Sensitive information was also collected on some government politicians. In response to inquiries, Sasek explained that the data collection served to "educate" OCG members about "the nature and attitude of our elected representatives" and was intended only for "internal use". He did not explain the remarks about Jews.

Andreas Zick, a researcher on extremism, referred to the categories listed as a "racist list" of a scope otherwise known only from "enemy lists" compiled by far-right extremists or jihadists. Given the history of murders of people who had previously been on such lists, he stated there is a high risk to those affected in this case as well. The Bavarian State Parliament instructed the state government to investigate the sect's activities more closely. The General Public Prosecutor's Office in Munich is conducting a preliminary investigation into the OCG on suspicion of incitement to hatred.

Anti-Censorship Coalition (AZK)

Goals In 2008, Sasek founded the Anti-Censorship Coalition (; AZK). It calls itself "Europe's largest platform for uncensored information" so that people can hear "pro and con" arguments, including from "highly qualified expert opinions from around the world." According to theologian and philosopher of the Evangelical Church in Germany, the AZK does not represent a shared cause, but rather serves as a support group for people who feel oppressed by the so-called mainstream and are trying to promote their own interpretation of freedom of speech. The AZK specifically writes to politicians in an effort to win them over to its ideas. At the same time, according to research by Austrian national broadcaster ORF, Sasek and the AZK obstruct, insult and threaten critical journalists.

At the 2009 AZK conference, historical revisionist Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof and Jürg Stettler, press spokesman for the German Church of Scientology and president of its Swiss branch, spoke. Stettler primarily attacked the media. At the 2010 AZK conference, Bernhard Schaub, a Swiss Holocaust denier with a criminal record, expressed far-right views. Sasek congratulated him on his speech. At the 2011 AZK conference, far-right filmmaker (known for the documentary ) claimed that the Nazi Rudolf Hess had undertaken his 1941 flight to England at the initiative of Adolf Hitler in order to conduct peace talks. At the 2012 AZK conference at the town hall in Chur, Switzerland, Sasek invited the previously convicted far-right Holocaust denier Sylvia Stolz as the keynote speaker. In his welcoming remarks, he explained that, in opposition to the media's "manipulation of public opinion" the AZK sought to "awaken" the people and turn them into bearers of light and a fighting force for the truth. He asked the audience to chant the motto "I am strong through the truth" in unison.

In her lecture, Stolz claimed, contrary to the facts, that the Holocaust had never been proven in court, that all "testimonies, documents or other evidence" were missing for "the crime scenes, methods of killing, number of dead, periods of the crime, perpetrators, corpses or traces of murder" and for the National Socialist "intention to destroy Jewry in whole or in part". The German people no longer let themselves be oppressed. She challenged the audience to get to know Nazis and received enthusiastic applause. Sasek thanked her emotionally, calling her a woman with the "courage of a lion,"

The Bernese lawyer Daniel Kettiger then denounced Stolz and Sasek for violations of the racism criminal code: Sasek had invited Stolz in the knowledge of her crimes and had not withdrawn the floor from her "as a responsible moderator" when she engaged in obvious Holocaust denial over a longer period of time.

Until then, the AZKs were mainly advertised and announced in right-wing to right-wing extremist circles advertised and announced. Sasek kept the location of the 2014 AZK secret and only issued tickets for it through personal mediation. He gave an introductory lecture on "How to prevent a world war?" In the unabridged version, which was available to the Tages-Anzeiger, he claimed: the political and economic establishment as well as "warmongering media" were preparing a third World War with targeted disinformation. These media would therefore have to be silenced. Christians, who did not believe in the secret conspiratorial powers, were "pants-shitting and good-for-nothing" and "real assholes". Because of them, the devil is currently "letting the sow out". With the United States as his tool along with conspiratorial forces, the devil is believed to start an annihilation of 6.5 billion people to reduce mankind "to a minimum". Bankers, politicians and media people are satanic bandits and criminals. The people are believed to be dumbed down by the media and are led to the slaughter by the warmongers like animals without reason. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion would have described the chaos orchestrated by the devil. Thus, Sasek adopted the anti-Semitic conspiracy theory of an alleged world Jewry. Also in a sermon available via Deutschlandfunk, Sasek stated—regarding Protocols—that one does not need to argue about it: "'did the Jews write it or do the Jews implement it?'". We must conclude: it was written and it is being implemented." Furthermore, he recommended reading Hitler's book Mein Kampf and called for distrusting all media. As a goal, he formulated, I am preparing to change the people, to manipulate them, if you will, for my way.

Swiss historian Daniele Ganser then spoke on "Covert warfare: a look behind the scenes of power politics." He emphasized that he had not known Sasek until then and had only learned via Google that Sasek, like himself, was against warmongering. Furthermore, Jürgen Elsässer and Mathias Ebert appeared for the initiative, and U.S. communications scholar Judith A. Reisman appeared as speakers. Ebert and Reisman claimed that current sexology, sex education, and the sexual revolution are a pedophilia conspiracy introduced by sex researcher Alfred Charles Kinsey. Conspiracy directing Western curricula to impose "early sexualization" of children. Ebert advocated a boycott of school sex education, with parents facing imprisonment if necessary. The heterosexual nuclear family, he argued, was the only proper place for children's sex education.

A regular AZK speaker is Andreas Popp , a critic of interest oriented towards the National Socialist Gottfried Feder. Other AZK speakers included representatives of the Swiss People's Party (SVP) such as Olivier Kessler, initiator of the "No-Billag" initiative (March 2015), Luzi Stamm (November 2015) and Ulrich Schlüer (October 2016). Cult expert Hugo Stamm criticized such politicians' appearances as irresponsible legitimization for and trivialization of Sasek's cult and conspiracy theories. At AZK 2017, he claimed that many new books by "high-level historians" show "a completely different picture, for example, of Adolf Hitler." He asked his listeners, "Yes, and now, if that was one who comes right after Jesus Christ, what are you doing? If this is one who is of the rank of an apostle?" In response to queries from , Sasek replied that the quote was only an extreme example in the context of his speech.

Media and organizational network In 1997, Sasek founded the Elaion Publishing House and the Community Teaching Service. Since 1999, he has expanded OCG from a family business into a network of commercial subsidiaries, organizations, and media products that disseminate his political mission worldwide. He made other films, which he promoted through his Panorama Filmverleih as moral guides for marriages and families. In 2008, he founded an Anti-Genocide Party (AGP) to oppose an allegedly imminent genocide of "freedom-loving people, Bible believers, Jews and Muslims"; his wife served as vice-president.

Sasek's print and web media address current issues with conspiracy-theory-based commentary, such as on chemtrails, the New World Order, high finance, terrorist attacks, climate change, the euro area crisis, and Germanwings flight 9525. They publish "uncensored" speeches by Muammar al-Gaddafi and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, warn of an allegedly imminent obligation to implant electronic identity chips for total state surveillance, discredit vaccination campaigns, claim an "AIDS lie", interpret the 2014 Ukraine crisis and the refugee crisis in Europe from 2015 as means of targeted destabilization, and predict a Third World War.

Since at least 2016, Kla.TV has published many videos on current political events. In professionally designed studio, anchors present various "news" stories that the "mainstream media" allegedly suppress. According to Meedia observers, the broadcasts are reminiscent of the former news broadcasts by Kopp Verlag, and, like them, attempt to give conspiracy theories an air of creditability.

In May 2019, representatives of Kla.TV and AZK attended a conference of far-right, right-wing populist, and conspiracy ideology media, hosted by the AfD-Bundestagfraktion in the German Bundestag. AfD deputy Nicole Höchst, who had already been interviewed by Kla.TV, accepted wish lists from the representatives to present to the parliamentary group. It was desired, for example, that AfD deputies share only their own posts on Facebook and Twitter, and no longer those of the "system press." These contacts are classified as the formation of right-wing anti-democratic networks. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution hardly monitors esoteric media like those from Sasek's environment so far.

The station spreads far-right, anti-Semitic and general conspiracy theories. An antisemitic claim about September 11, 2001 was spread, according to which the U.S. government itself perpetrated the September 11 attacks. Behind it, he said, was the Rothschild family, which sought control of national banks worldwide.

On Kla.TV films, elements of QAnon ideology can also be found without direct mention of it, e.g. contributions to the Deep State, to Adrenochrome and alleged satanist child abuse.

Youth TV and "OCG Youth" The OCG maintains its own youth organization, the OCG Youth, with its own web presence. As an offer for children and young people Youth TV was founded. The main presenter was Sasek's daughter Anna-Sophie. The Internet station is visually and content-wise like Klagemauer.tv, only with 8- to 20-year-old speakers for the corresponding target group. They, too, are mostly from OCG families, including Sasek's children. The undercover, non-contactable operators could be traced back to the Saseks' "Panorama-Film-Café" in Walzenhausen via the page source text. The speakers claimed, for example, that schools and teachers propagate homosexuality and urge young people to become homosexuals. Ebola was comparable to ordinary influenza; the World Health Organization was using the epidemic as a means to dominate governments. Israel is the world leader in the organ trade and sees this as compensation for the Holocaust. Youth TV, like AZK, represents all varieties of the conspiracy theory scene and packages them as short news items in language suitable for children. The station presents antisemitic, homophobic hate propaganda and rejection of a free lifestyle as normal attitudes and conveys a basic anti-democratic skepticism toward society to young people seeking orientation. Thus he wants to recruit new followers for the OCG. According to a former Youth TV host, Sasek and his associates see themselves in an information war against the mass media. In order to cast doubt on their information, he said, they take their broadcast material unchecked from right-wing populist, conspiracy-theory websites. The cultural scientist Eva Kimminich analyzed the broadcasts as fake news, in which facts were placed in other, invented contexts and thus twisted.

The video clips of both broadcasters coincide in content and often literally, without referring to each other. The address in their imprint, which can be traced back to the Saseks, was changed after media reports about it.

Hacker action Starting in 2020, Sasek's media spread COVID-19 misinformation and stoked fears about vaccination against the virus. In response, the hacker collective Anonymous announced in July 2020 that it would expose Sasek's OCG activities as part of its Operation Tinfoil. In two weeks, the activists hacked several OCG websites and servers, including its youth channel Kla.TV. The online activists hacked Sasek's website lügen-barometer.info and redirected visitors to an article critical of OCG. They also gained access to Kla.TV's database and administrators' area, allowing them to sabotage the broadcast schedule. Among other things, the name of the controversial Swiss historian Daniele Ganser was frequently in the database.

Classification The state churches as well as free churches classify Sasek's teachings as heresy. For representatives of the mainline churches, his messages show typical characteristics of a cult. The sect commissioners of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) describe the OCG as a Christian fundamentalist group whose strict understanding of faith combines with current conspiracy theories. Scientific studies refuted Sasek's educational advice: Corporal punishment is pedagogically pointless, harms child development when used systematically, and creates a spiral of violence. The Swiss Evangelical Alliance (SEA) and the Association of Evangelical Free Churches and Congregations in Switzerland distanced themselves from any form of physical violence in education. In the Christian fundamentalist scene, however, Sasek's theses are discussed; his patriarchal family model and his educational ideas find imitators. Other Christian splinter groups more often form alliances of convenience with the OCG, although they usually reject Sasek's claim to be an apostle and prophet. The association Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle Multimedia-Diensteanbieter (FSM) classified Youth TV as a danger to children and young people, however, because the channel presented conspiracy theories like youth news, created a reference to the children's lifeworld through direct address, and caused "socio-ethical disorientation" through an appeal character. In July 2015, the city council of Frauenfeld banned Pegida rallies at which Sasek was scheduled to speak for security reasons. Its influence extends beyond the OCG to esotericists, Holocaust deniers, Scientologists and right-wing conspiracy theorists.

For publicist Matthias Pöhlmann, "the Swiss preacher of doom is manifestly not only part of, but a crucial driver for a broad-based anti-democratic Crossfront strategy."

Publications (selection) Shaking: causes - effects - ways out. 4th supplemented edition, Elaion (self-published), Walzenhausen 2007. Simon, David and Loisa Sasek: Mama, please chastise me! 2nd revised and supplemented edition, Elaion (self-published), Walzenhausen 2002.

Literature Matthias Pöhlmann: Organic Christ Generation / Anti-Censorship Coalition / Ivo Sasek. In: Matthias Pöhlmann, Christine Jahn (eds. on behalf of the VELKD): Handbuch Weltanschauungen, Religiöse Gemeinschaften, Freikirchen. (with CD-ROM) Gütersloher Verlagshaus / Random House, Gütersloh 2015, ISBN 978-3-579-08224-0, pp. 378–390. Claudia Knepper: Harmony, Obedience, and Punishment. Ivo Sasek's teaching on child rearing. In: Materialdienst der Evangelischen Zentralstelle für Weltanschauungsfragen. 4 / 2011, pp. 132–139. (text-excerpt online ) Harald Lamprecht: Organic Christ Generation. Ivo Sasek and his movement. Materialdienst der Evangelischen Zentralstelle für Weltanschauungsfragen. 4 / 2003, PP. 132-143

TV reports Radical Christians - My exit from the OCG (Part 1). In: Reporter (SRF), 13 April 2022 (YouTube; Swiss German, with German subtitles). Radical Christians - My exit from the OCG (Part 2). In: Reporter (SRF), April 20, 2022 (YouTube; Swiss German, with German subtitles). Christliche Sekte OCG: Sohn des Sektenführers packt aus | STRG_F Christian sect OCG: Son of sect leader unpacks. From CTRL_F