2024-08-23 12:54:52
Dear Mr. Tschauner-Bas, in your application for the debate campaign “Germany Speaks” you wrote that you are confident that the “silent supporters of democracy” have shown themselves and are in large numbers. What do you mean by that?
After the report on the Potsdam meeting of right-wing extremists, the previously silent supporters of democracy took to the streets all over Germany and demonstrated themselves. That is an important signal. Politicians who threaten democracy should not be given a place. And if they have one, we as Democrats should publicly oppose it. This happened after the Potsdam meeting. I was at the big demo in Munich myself. I met a lot of people I knew. That is a good feeling. This makes me confident that the majority represents democratic values - even if the enemies of democracy sometimes want us to believe otherwise.
If you could vote in the next state election, which issue would make the biggest impact on you?
For me, preserving democratic principles and internal security will be important. But it is true that the East Germans are still behind. It has started with the fact that there is still a difference between East and West – even in the media. The promised unity that people will want does not exist today. East and West are drifting apart again. If I were living in the East, it would be important to me that no stone be left unturned to resist this development. AfD and BSW have become powerful because people are not satisfied. We should take this seriously. And we should let people finish when they express their concerns and not dismiss them immediately because they accept AfD issues. That undermines democracy. We shouldn’t limit anyone’s opinion because we don’t like it. I myself am far from agreeing with the ideology of the AfD, but when their voters express their concerns, we have to listen and take them seriously.
What result do you hope for in the state elections in the eastern German states? Which combination do you prefer?
I would welcome it if the CDU sees the priorities in the East beyond the AfD. I can imagine a merger with the BSW. BSW is smaller than AfD. Currently there is not much to gain for the SPD, FDP and the Greens in the East, but they could be in a coalition as small splinter parties to secure the majority. A government led by the AfD under Björn Höcke would be a nightmare. A number of right-wing extremist members, including yourself – that’s very dangerous for me. I do not want to deny that there are still conservative members in the AfD, and their voters. Many want a change and are disappointed with the so-called old groups.
Have you had a personal encounter with an East German or someone who lived in East Germany recently? How was that? What makes you happy or unhappy?
I have been to the East many times, including for work, and just recently returned to Halle. A great sadness can be felt there, but also change like 1990, only change. People don’t feel seen in their worries. Of course, a lot has already happened in big cities like Leipzig, Dresden or Chemnitz, and the contrast to the western German cities is still not great. But it feels like nothing has arrived in the border area with Poland or in the rural areas. Unemployment there is high and tribute is great. Many people there want “the” strong leader who will come, face the problems and pull the wheels out of the mud. However, this situation is rather unconvincing to me;
Are you worried about expressing your opinion publicly?
No, I’m not worried about expressing my opinion publicly. We live in a democracy and we can say whatever we want freely. There is a wide spectrum of political opinion in Germany. We are lucky that we are not censored or silenced. Even if someone speaks publicly against the government, they do not have to fear any punishment. People in other countries are not so lucky – like in China, for example. What has changed in recent years is the intensity of the backlash you get when you share your opinion. I myself run a small organization blog, completely non-political. It’s amazing how people measure words there and immediately complain when I’ve used the wrong word or something is wrong. This is the same in a small and large scale. The current traffic light is intolerable, just keep on installing it. Online insults are also bad. When I read on the internet that Annalena Baerbock is called a “prostitute”, all I can ask is: Is she still good? These are not comments of opinion, but should be presented.
Would you yourself be prepared to fight for Germany in the event of war? Would you let your own children fight?
I have five children, one child is a soldier. He will definitely fight for his country. At my age, the question no longer arises for me, but I will be ready soon. I always tell my other children to use their conscience to decide what to do in an emergency. I won’t give them any instructions, but that also means I won’t advise them to run away. When war comes there is no time to think. In Ukraine, one day the students sat in a lecture hall, then they took guns in their hands and went to the front. It would be better to have a well-trained army in such a case. That’s why I would be in favor of having a “light treatment” that is a little stricter than what I experienced when I was younger. It should soften a little more when it comes time. Young people should be able to complete their first training if they have health problems, they should not be wasted, but instead other uses should be evaluated. It should also be mandatory. The situation of the world is different today. There will always be Middle East conflict, I’m afraid. The situation in Ukraine is unstable and not very far from us: And if I have my way, Europe should become more independent of America. That’s why we should be able to defend ourselves as a country – and we need an army.
Refugees are a hot topic in elections in Germany’s eastern states. Both those who came to the country in 2015 under Merkel with the slogan “We can do it” and those who are coming to us from Ukraine. Do you personally have contact with the refugee?
No, that doesn’t play any role in my daily life. However, I am of the opinion that refugees from Ukraine should not be judged separately. Why? Because they are refugees like all the others who are fleeing to us. I am worried that Zelensky is determined to attack Russia and attack the country. I think this is a big mistake. There may be logical reasons for it. But he asked Europe and the world for weapons and support for a defensive war – and now he is attacking Russia with our weapons. This means that a red line has been crossed for me. From this point of view, I think it is right that the federal government’s aid to Ukraine should be reformed now. We must constantly review the situation in Ukraine and Russia. We should also question our preconceived notions when the situation changes, as it has now with the Russian invasion. A few days ago, the SPD Leader of Brandenburg, Dietmar Woidke, asked if it was still right for Ukrainian refugees to receive citizenship money instead of asylum seeker benefits. I think it is right that we ask the question. Nevertheless, I have to say that there is little contact with refugees here in Munich, where I live. You can see it here in Munich, and it’s a good one. In any case, I cannot observe the position of the AfD that we should be the “most”. Self-contained communities with a few thousand inhabitants perceive things differently when hundreds of refugees suddenly have to take up residence there. That is definitely not easy. I have been supporting refugees from the Yugoslavian war for two years. You can’t put them together. There are those who exploit our system, just want money and reject integration, but there are many more people who come to us looking for help and need our support.
Oliver Tschauner-Bas is 63 years old and a retired police officer. He lives in Munich. In the interview series “Seven Questions, Seven Answers,” participants in the “Germany Speaks” reader debate campaign answered questions about the elections in the eastern German states.
#unity #East #West