Ex-Federal President at Lanz
The speech at the turn of the century “filled Gauck with pride”
By Marko Schlichting
07/14/2022, 04:25 am
Former Federal President Gauck would not have thought it possible that Chancellor Scholz would announce a “turning point”. When it comes to support for Ukraine, however, Germany still has to step up significantly, he warns on Markus Lanz on ZDF.
More weapons for Ukraine – faster and more intense. The former Federal President Joachim Gauck asked Markus Lanz on ZDF. The federal government has already done a lot in recent months, said Gauck. “But when I put myself in the shoes of the victims of bloody aggression and when I see the small amount of our active help, then that’s not enough for me. Something still has to be done,” said Gauck.
“Moral Surplus”
Gauck admired the Chancellor for his speech at the turning point in the Bundestag. “It was something that made me proud,” said Gauck on ZDF. He did not think it possible that such an announcement would be made “from this coalition”. “I will not forget him” – Scholz – “that he had this strength.” But Gauck didn’t expect the change in public opinion either: “The fact that Germany accepts that we have to defend ourselves is new.” A “moral excess” can often be observed among young people. That’s a good thing. Young people want to get what they hold dear. “Then running away as quickly as possible is an unfashionable attitude; I hope it stays that way,” said Gauck.
The current situation in Germany is serious, says Gauck. “But I don’t share the grim predictions that we will have riots in the streets.” Politicians like Economics Minister Robert Habeck, who could explain “why we’re doing something,” prevented that from happening.
The German population should also show their true colours, the former Federal President demands: “Are we the ones who want to stand out through dull perception and cold hearts? Or are we the ones who want to show solidarity with a surviving victim? How do we want each other as human beings look in the eye? How do we want to show our commitment to human rights or to the rules-based order? But not by doing nothing.”
In order to defend human rights, people in our country could tolerate it if the temperatures in the apartments were turned down a bit, Gauck continued.
“We debate all of this in a welfare state”
At the same time, Gauck believes that people in Germany shouldn’t think too little of themselves: “We’re not just the ones who can do the economic miracle. We’re also the ones who sometimes grit our teeth when we can help other people with it.” It’s not about the fear that life could go wrong, but about the fact that a few dreams might not come true, “where we might only be able to go on vacation once instead of twice.”
We debated all these questions in a welfare state. Gauck pointed this out at the end. “So far we haven’t seen any signs that the poorest, who find it difficult to save, are losing sight of.” The government will continue to take care of poor people – fear is misplaced, said the former Federal President to Markus Lanz.