mk. Despite all propaganda the majority of Germans do not want a war.1 And the majority of Germans – namely 58%2 – want an improvement in relations with Russia, and this despite almost hourly propaganda against the nation.
The German love of peace is a thorn in the side of the Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS). In a working paper they demand that “the German culture of military restraint, which a majority of Germans consider to be correct, should converge to the French culture of autonomous military capacity for action [...]”3. This means that the Germans should be educated to the effect that they say yes to war.
With this paper, the BAKS, besides reporting directly to the Federal Security Council and thus to Chancellor Merkel, joins Macron’s demands for a “European intervention initiative”, which should lead to the establishment of a “joint intervention power”.4
This message is now being instilled on all channels and in all broadcast formats. Comments in the Maischberger talk show, which was mainly about Russia and the Skripal affair, should be mentioned here as an example for many others. Anthony Glees, a British intelligence expert, got upset in this panel discussion about the Germans’ will for peace, as being a “romantic-idealist-pacifist dream” and “enthusiastic idealism”. He literally says: “For me it is unintelligible to hear German voices say we want peace.”5
The Russia expert Gabriele Krone-Schmalz could only speechless shake her head at that. In this program she explained that with the extinction of the generation that still knew the war, consciousness of how fragile peace is gets lost.
For the citizens who want peace, however, there is something encouraging about the whole discussion: It is obvious that throughout Europe or even throughout Nato one is permanently irritated by the Germans’ desire for peace. Indeed, it may not be not so easy to enforce war against the will of such a big people. Therefore, attempts are being made to reverse the Germans’ attitude to war. Conversely, this also means that those who want peace must remain steadfast. Without their consent, no government can wage war in the long run. Their No to war just functions as a brake. If the No will unmistakably crescendo, it can prevent wars and thus immense human suffering.
Exemplarily a viewer’s commentary on the Maischberger television program of 28 March 2018 is quoted here:
“It’s irresponsible to keep stirring up fear! It becomes extremely threatening if the media attacks against Putin are accompanied by the relocation of NATO weapon systems to the Baltic-Russian border and to Poland. ‘Those at the top’, what do they actually imagine what war between Russia and NATO is about? The word ‘war’ must not even be taken into consideration today! Have the Germans forgotten what they did to the Russian people with the 1941 raid? Therefore, only one motto can and must apply today: striving for an irrefutable basis of trust with Russia and implementing maximum cooperation in all areas for the common benefit of both sides, Russia and Europe! However, it is doubtful that foreign minister-newcomer Heiko Maas, who right from the start joined the phalanx of Russia’s opponents, has the slightest willingness to cooperate constructively. The generation of the ‘small-step-takers’ is missing: Willy Brandt – Egon Bahr!” •
1 75% of those questioned are against sending more soldiers to Afghanistan. 57 % are generally against missions abroad. Cf. survey commissioned by “RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland” (RND) of 30.8.2017
2 Kantar-Emnid survey for the Focus, quoted from Contra Magazin of 28.10.2017
3 Bundesakademie für Sicherheitspolitik (Federal Academy for Security Policy.) Arbeitspapier Sicherheitspolitik No. 8/2018 (Working Paper on Security Policy)
4 ibid.
5 Anthony Glees in the Maischberger program of 21.3.2018
(Translation of all quotes: Current Concerns)
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