Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock has renamed the “Bismarck Room” in her office. The Green politician did not provide a reason for this. This is incomprehensible, especially since Bismarck not only shone as a politician, but also as an author.
Monday
When senior State Department officials said goodbye in the evening, they would often say, “See you tomorrow at Bismarck.” Today they only say it ironically.
The department heads of the Foreign Office still meet for morning meetings in the same large room, but it is no longer called the “Bismarck Room”: the new Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, has had the historical name removed. The room is now called the Hall of German Unity.
When the diplomats come together for the morning situation, they immediately see a visual change. The big portrait is gone. The new boss had Otto von Bismarck’s picture taken down. The first head of the Foreign Office, who founded the all-German Reich and was its chancellor for 19 years, has disappeared into a storage cellar somewhere.
Despite several inquiries, Baerbock gave no reason why she removed one of the most influential German politicians from her position. The action fits in with the tendency of the Greens to subsequently manipulate and rewrite our country’s tradition, history and culture. In addition to politicians from the Union and FDP, Bismarck’s descendants also protested sharply against the action.
The “von Bismarck’sche Familienverband” has published a statement that says: “We, the Bismarck family, are appalled and unspeakably sad that our own history and our own country are being treated in this way.” A spokesman of the association, in which around 340 members of the Brandenburg noble family have joined together, accused the Green Minister of having no historical awareness.
I am convinced that she also lacks education. She probably read little or nothing by Bismarck. Not only was he an outstanding politician of his time, he was also a brilliant author. Many people interested in politics and history have read his exciting autobiography “Thoughts and Memories”.
Since Baerbock probably does not have the time for such an extensive work, Bismarck could also eat it in smaller portions. His letters from the ambassadorial days in St. Petersburg and Paris are a pleasure and an asset, especially for the head of diplomats.
Tuesday
The real issues are rarely addressed. Thirty times – felt – CDU leader Friedrich Merz had to explain that he was sorry for his expression “social tourism”. Every moderator, every interviewer wanted to hear it at least once. But then it was over.
Hardly anyone talked about the underlying problem: the migrants are a huge burden. Many communities are at the limit of their capacity. Several mayors have openly described their situation to me, but do not want to be named at any price. They don’t want to be pushed into the right-hand corner.
The district administrators send them the refugees they have to accommodate by bus. In containers, in rented houses, in tents, sometimes in gyms. The biggest sorrow: the volunteers stay away. Your self-overwhelm is used up.
FOCUS founding editor-in-chief Helmut Markwort has been an FDP member of the Bavarian state parliament since 2018.
