Fischer defends 'revolutionary' past

Mr Fischer was backed by the Chancellor in the debate

For the second day running, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer has been defending his past as a radical activist, this time fielding aggressive questions in parliament.

Mr Fischer reiterated his apology for taking part in street battles with the police in the 1970s and insisted that he had turned his back on violence many years ago.

You are trying to establish a distorted picture of Joschka Fischer that has nothing to do with my beliefs back then

Joschka Fischer

Though his past was never a secret, photographs published recently showing Mr Fischer beating a policeman at a 1973 demonstration have focused attention on it.

In two other hearings, Defence Minister Rudolf Scharping was grilled over his response to the debate about depleted uranium, and Finance Minister Hans Eichel denied opposition accusations that he had used official aircraft for private trips.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's cabinet has been under increasing strain over recent weeks, with two ministers forced to resign in the wake of the country's BSE crisis.

Resignation calls

"You are trying to establish a distorted picture of Joschka Fischer that has nothing to do with my beliefs back then," Mr Fischer replied, when questioned about his participation in street protests.

But Wolfgang Bosbach, deputy parliament leader of the opposition Christian Democrats said, "You were, in the years we are talking about, not a victim but an aggressor.

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"You wanted to attack innocent people , and you did attack them," he said.

Opposition MPs called again for Mr Fischer's resignation.

Mr Fischer admitted that he had been a "revolutionary" and admitted he had taken part in violent protests but said he had become a democrat out of political conviction.

Chancellor Schroeder cancelled another appointment to show his support for his foreign minister during the debate.

Mr Schroeder said opposition MPs were trying to destroy Mr Fischer's political existence.

Despite Mr Schroeder's support, commentators suggest that any further revelations about Mr Fischer's past may make it hard to ignore the resignation calls.

This might seriously damage the coalition between the SPD and Mr Fischer's Green Party, as Mr Fischer is seen as a pillar of the alliance.

Second day's defence

On Tuesday Mr Fischer gave evidence at the trial of Hans-Joachim Klein, who is accused the murder of three people during the attack on an Opec oil ministers' meeting in Vienna in 1975.

Prosecutors questioned Mr Fischer on his own background, causing the judge to remind them that he was not the man on trial.

"This is not about Herr Fischer, it is about Herr Klein," said Judge Gehrke.