The descent into hell of Gerhard Schröder, Putin’s friend

“QAdd Schröder to the sanctions list! proclaims a placard held up by a group of Berliners in Bebel Square, in the historic center of Berlin. A few hundred intellectuals, writers, historians and political activists came to lend their support to Ukraine, but also to denounce the former social-democrat chancellor, who still refuses to disavow his “friend” Vladimir Putin.

Since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Gerhard Schröder, 77, has been a lonely man. Emptiness has formed all around him. Last week, all of its employees resigned en bloc. Among them, Albrecht Funk, who for 20 years wrote his speeches and headed the office that Gerhard Schröder has for life, as former chancellor, on…