cc. On 11 June 2025, various peace circles within the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) published a manifesto* calling for a different German foreign and defense policy: improved defense capability, but no arms race; a realistic threat assessment; more graduateacy; and a new policy of détente toward Russia instead of escalating the confrontation. The manifesto was also signed by prominent Social Democrats who previously held high party and government offices. One of them is Rolf Mützenich, the leader of the SPD parliamentary group in the last German Bundestag. The following open letter is addressed to him.
Cologne, 19 June 2025
Dear Dr Mützenich
We welcome your publication of a statement in this day and age in which - in light of the war in Ukraine and the fundamental human rights violations in Gaza - you come out in favour of a path of graduateacy and against pursuing a “military confrontation strategy”.
We support your demand that no new American medium-range missiles be stationed in Germany, which would make us a primary target in the event of a conflict. The billions of euros demanded for the irresponsible arms buildup due to an alleged looming war must be invested in the underfunded social security systems.
We share your view that a differentiated analysis of the causes is necessary and are opposed to assigning guilt one-sidedly. You cite international agreements that were already concluded in previous years to promote cooperation and peaceful conflict resolution between (European) nations. We, too, consider a return to the binding CSCE Final Act of Helsinki (1975), the Charter of Paris (1990), and the OSCE Charter for European Security of Istanbul (1999) to be essential to achieving and maintaining peace in Europe.
We support the continuation of a tradition that pursues the peaceful settlement of conflicts on equal terms and, like you, we recognise the necessity of adhering to the goal of common and undivided security in Europe. In this spirit, we recall the peace mandate in the preamble to the German Basic Law1 and would like to endorse Kofi Annan, who said: “We don’t need any more promises. We must start keeping the promises we have already made.”2
As citizens, we hope that you will succeed in convincing the SPD/CDU ( Social Democrats/ Christian Democrats) coalition partners of the fundamental importance of your important declaration.
Sincerely,
Wilhelm Barth, qualified social scientist; Dr. h. c. Hans von Sponeck, UN deputy secretary-general, retd.; Rita Müller-Hill, teacher, retd., Köln; Dr-Ing. Christian Fischer, publicly appointed and sworn expert; Marion Fischer, secondary school teacher, retd.; Dr med. Susanne Hörnemann, medical psychotherapist, Cologne; Dr. med. Susanne Ley, internist and rheumatologist, Cologne; Wolfgang Ley, qualified social worker, Cologne; Marion Trommenschläger, qualified pedagogue, retd., Cologne; Hannelore Kastenholz, teacher; Uwe Trieschmann, MD; Eva Aras, teacher, retd.; Hauke Dressel, software-developer, Frechen; Michael Kellner, teacher, retd., Cologne; Heike Hupe, secondary school teacher, retd.; Dr Lars-Oliver Höinck, qualified chemist, Cologne; Angelika Spur, MD and Wieland Spur, MD, Rielasingen-Worblingen; Marilies Kupsch, special education teacher, retd., Wartberg; Peter Reitz, qualified economist, consultant, Cologne; Reinhild Felten, deputy school principal, retd.; Helga Cieslik, primary school teacher, retd.; Katja Martens, teacher, Rheinbach; Annelene Neuhaus, secondary school teacher, retd., Cologne; Sabine Schmidt; Christine Green-Ottens, qualified social pedagogue, Alfter; Christian Ottens MBA, Alfter; Susanne and Matthias Klaus, teachers; Martina Nixdorf, qualified social scientist and German Sociological Society supervisor; Peter Rohleder, Cologne; Norbert Kissler; Elke Rauh-Reinschmidt, teacher for special education, retd.; Uwe Reinschmidt; Anna Giltz, qualified librarian, Cologne; Maria Froitzheim, teacher; Julia Lang, special needs pedagogue, retd., Neunkirchen Seelscheid; Jürgen Lang, teacher, retd., Neunkirchen-Seelscheid; Maria Luise Lang, retiree, Neunkirchen-Seelscheid; Ute Fux, retiree, Cologne; Arie Prusznowski, agent, retd., Berlin; Gerti Prusznowski, teacher, retd., Berlin; Dietmar Kirch MD, specialist in neurology, psychiatrie und psychotherapie; Ursula Kirch, paediatric nurse; Gerda Reuter, graduate translator and qualified social worker, Bonn; Petra Birgitt Hobbach; W. D. Trenkmann, social worker, retd.; Karin Swagers-Breuer, physiotherapist, retd., Cologne; Johanna Josifek, teacher, retd., Cologne; Karin König; Heidrun Vogel, special needs teacher, retd.; Traudel Anders, director of studies, retd.; Petra Maaz, elementary teacher, retd., Rösrath; Michael Maaz, Rösrath; Regina Peters, Qualified in Social Sciences, Cologne
* “Friedenssicherung in Europa durch Verteidigungsfähigkeit, Rüstungskontrolle und Verständigung. Manifest der SPD-Friedenskreise (Securing Peace in Europe through Defense Capability, Arms Control, and Understanding. Manifesto of the SPD Peace Circles)”; ttps://augengeradeaus.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250611_Manifest_SPD-Friedenskreise_Friedenssicherung_in_Europa.pdf
1 “Conscious of their responsibility before God and man, inspired by the determination to promote world peace as an equal partner in a united Europe, the German people, in the exercise of their constituent power, have adopted this Basic Law.”
2 “We don’t need any more promises. We must begin to keep the promises we have already made.” Quoted from: Abiola Hafsat, Rudolf Adam, Franz Alt, Max Arlt, Maude Barlow: Impulses for a World in Balance, Global Marshall Plan Initiative, Hamburg 2005. ISBN 3-9809-7232-1, page 485
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