km. On the opinion page of the German “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” (Cologne Newspaper), Erik Flügge, bestselling author and member of the German SPD (Social-Democratic Party) wrote on 27 February: “Once critics of arms deliveries find no political representation in the centre, it is dangerous for democracy itself. […] People who have never changed their convictions are suddenly pushed to the side lines. ‘No armament supplies for warzones’ – twelve months ago, this was Germany’s reason of state. Today, this point of view is rarely represented publicly.”
Erik Flügge confined himself to the people who are against German armament supplies to Ukraine. But what speaks against expanding his thoughts?
Even those who have been talking for a long time about that NATO hasn’t held its promise towards Russia not to expand its territory closer to the Russian border, “are getting pushed to the side lines”. Even those who point out the fact that the USA and their allies have fought “illegal wars” throughout the past 30 years in a way that threatens world peace, only to enforce their ambition to be and to stay the “only true world force”. And would not accept to recognise other countries like Russia or China as equals. Even those who put emphasis on the fact the war in Ukraine didn’t start in 2022 but already in 2014 – and hint at the fact that the central government in Kiev has a great amount of responsibility for this war and for the 14.000 mainly Russian casualties of this war prior to 24 February 2022. Even those who advert to the racist motives of the “Russia Haters” in Ukraine related to this war. Even those who demonstrate that the US government and their allies have pushed the war policies of both Ukrainian government and Ukrainian nationalists politically, financially and militarily. Even those who point out that the accusations of atrocities against the “enemy” are just a usual thing out of propagandistic reasons and that the presumption of innocence until the undoubtable proof of guilt is of greatest importance during war. And finally even those who refuse to speak of an “unprovoked” and “brutal offensive war” of Russia because of all the reasons mentioned above.
All these people “are pushed to the side lines”. This even leads up to criminal prosecution. On the rally for the “Manifest” of Sarah Wagenknecht and Alice Schwarzer on 25 February in Berlin, the event manager initially read out a long text about what would be prohibited by the authorities upon this rally. The list was very long – and it was not just about weapons and calls for violence. That is the current state of freedom of speech and of assembly in Germany.
The question on why people, who have been and still are good citizens throughout their whole life – regarding them taking the constitution seriously and actually living out civil rights –, “are pushed to the sidelines” is an important one. Especially towards the condition of the German state, German policy and public life in Germany.
The notion that everything which is valuable in times of peace shall have no validity in times of war has been laid out by many in the past. I remember being a pupil at a German academic high school 50 years ago and we read “Mother Courage” by Bertolt Brecht. Even back then, this had been the main topic. It is very likely that decent German citizens are pushed to the side lines these days because Germany is at war. Annalena Baerbock admitted that openly – but no one wants to believe it yet. But all of this has nothing to do with liberty and democracy. •
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