Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for the defense of democracy in Germany. “We all have it in our hands to put those who despise our democracy in their place,” said Steinmeier at the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the constitutional convention in the New Palace on Herrenchiemsee. “And we all – every politician, but also every citizen – we have a common responsibility for our democracy. We have to protect it.”
“In the Shadow of Dictatorship, War and Genocide”
The Federal President continued: “Let us remember that our democracy arose in the shadow of dictatorship, war and genocide.” Without naming the right-wing populist party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD), which is currently strong in the polls, Steinmeier added that no voter can “talk himself out to mitigating circumstances if he sees his eyes to strengthen political forces that are brutalizing our society and hollowing it out contribute to free democracy”. Enemies of the constitution wanted to destroy their political opponents. Their goal is domination without contradiction. “And that is not the democracy of the Basic Law.”
In the fight against extremism, there is a historical lesson that runs like a red thread through the draft constitution of Herrenchiemsee, the German head of state continued. It still applies today: “A democracy must be able to defend itself against its enemies. Never again should democratic liberties be abused to abolish freedom and democracy.”
Among the experts at the constitutional convention in August 1948 was the well-known constitutional lawyer Carlo Schmid (centre). Photo: akg-images/picture-alliance
Draft constitution in just two weeks
Steinmeier acknowledged the Herrenchiemsee constitutional convention in August 1948 as historic. He is probably one of the least known of the important moments in the history of German democracy. “He is one of the most important.” The convention was convened 75 years ago by the prime ministers of the countries in the western occupation zones. Together with experts, the committee worked out the draft text for a constitution in just two weeks, which became the decisive basis for the German Basic Law. Before his speech, the Federal President opened a newly designed exhibition on the Constitutional Convention in the Old Palace.
The Federal President and Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder walking through the new exhibition on the Constitutional Convention in the Old Palace in HerrenchiemseeImage: picture alliance/dpa
sti/uh (afp, dpa, epd, kna)