Reflections on World War II: "The New Aggressors" - Steinmeier Speaks Out
"Former Liberators of Auschwitz Accused of Aggression"
By Sebastian Huld
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Eighty years back, the world was seared by the flames of World War II. On this solemn occasion, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier addresses the Bundestag, cautioning against the resurrection of nationalism, autocracy, and strife. In a speech brimming with candor and introspection, Steinmeier skillfully weaves together perilous parallels with contemporary dynamics.
Amidst reflections on the dismantling of the dreadful Nazi tyranny, Steinmeier launches a bold critique of both Putin and Trump. Loyal to a persistent and inconvenient truth, he observes that the liberators of Auschwitz now seem to have become new aggressors.
"Kids of May 8th," Steinmeier underscores, invoking the wisdom of philosopher Jürgen Habermas. Germans in the East and West took decades to break free from the mental shackles of the past. "It was us, the perpetrators, who started the vile war, dragging all of Europe into the abyss," Steinmeier poignantly recounts.
Americans, Britons, French, and countless others made the ultimate sacrifice in defeating the Nazi regime. Despite their commitment, Germans did not muster the resolve to overthrow the odious Nazi regime themselves. This grim reality, once obscured, now resurfaces with unforeseen clarity under Steinmeier's steadfast gaze.
A Double Epochal Break
Steinmeier forcefully lambastes Putin for propagating historical untruths that minimize the influence of the Red Army and distort the genesis of the conflict. "The Kremlin's lies are more than sheer delusion," Steinmeier asserts. "They are the facade for imperial ambition, injustice, and unspeakable crimes."
His words, laced with unwavering conviction, strike a cord as he denounces Putin's unprovoked aggression against Ukraine and questions the incongruity with the supposed crusade against fascism. "This historical distortion is worse than mere deception; it's a cover for insatiable lust and rampant lawlessness."
But Steinmeier does not stop there. Hopping over the Atlantic, he turns his critical gaze towards the US under the Trump administration. The eroding pillars of the international order based on the rule of law received a shock of unprecedented magnitude as Trump abandons the very norms that the US previously helped establish. Hence, Steinmeier offers a damning verdict: "A double epochal break: the aggressive war of Russia, the values break of America."
A United Front in a Dividing World
With the New Right gaining ground in Germany, Steinmeier issues a heartfelt appeal to stand firm against extremist forces that seek to sow discord and fan the embers of old hatreds. He speaks out against those who question democratic institutions, incite divisions among people, and summon the specter of past ills.
"They profit from fear, drive people apart, and reawaken ancient demons," Steinmeier rebukes the rising tide of extremism. His remarks, intentionally vague, seem aimed at the neo-Nazi AfD faction in the Bundestag.
But Steinmeier's speech is about more than a warning against an internal threat. It is, above all, a call for unity, for a European Union that stands fast against all odds, for a global community that learns from past folly, and for democratic values that withstand the test of time. As he echoes Richard von Weizsäcker's historic words, he challenges the world to rise and face the formidable challenges ahead, saying, "We must defend democracy, freedom, and law ourselves."
- The European Parliament, following the lead of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has also expressed its concern at the situation in the former Yugoslavia, particularly cautioning against the resurgence of nationalism and autocracy.
- In addition to his speech about World War II, Steinmeier spoken out against the current politics of general news, crime, and justice, warning of the dangers inherent in the historical distortions propagated by both Putin and Trump.
- Apart from criticizing Putin's lies that minimize the influence of the Red Army, Steinmeier condemned Trump for abandoning the norms that the US previously helped establish, referring to it as an epochal break.
- Further, Steinmeier has spoken against the new right gaining ground in Germany, including the neo-Nazi AfD faction in the Bundestag, warning of the dangers of extremist forces reawakening ancient demons and sowing discord.
- In light of these challenges, Steinmeier has called for a united front against divisive forces and a strengthening of democratic values, echoing the sentiments of Richard von Weizsäcker by challenging the world to defend democracy, freedom, and law in the face of uncertainty.
