I am glad that Ms. Hoyer pays tribute to Otto Wels, one of my heroes.
Though I am not a socialist, I have long held a high opinion of Otto Wels. During the Weimar years, the SPD, for all its profession of "socialism," was a very moderate party -- a strong voice for tolerance, democracy, and the rule of law.
As I witness democracy deteriorating day-by-day here in the USA, I draw inspiration from Otto Wels's courageous words at the Krolloper on 23rd March 1933 -- a last stand for democracy.
Herr Wels is also a hero to me for his helping organize the general strike that aborted the 1920 Kapp–Lüttwitz Putsch, which would have killed the Weimar Republic in its cradle.
Sadly, Otto Wels died in Paris little more than a fortnight after the outbreak of the Second World War. He died the day after his 66th birthday and is interred in France.
The Zentrum Reich Chancellor Heinrich Brüning -- the "Hunger Chancellor" whose foolish austerity during the Depression did so much to make the NSDAP the leading party in the Reichstag -- called Otto Wels "Germany's bravest man in the fight against Hitler."
They are the second largest party with 30 more Abgeordneten so they should get the bigger room , just read the Weimar years by Frank mc , excellent read , looking forward to yours katya 👍
The suggestion that this dispute over who has the bigger room has anything to do with democracy is ridiculous. Democracy is supposed to be about the government of the people, this is a squabble between political parties over a matter that I doubt was ever part of any party manifesto and thus never voted on by the people. The original reasoning behind the allocation of room space was always dubious, making too many assumptions about the immutability of the future. If the SPD wants a memorial to Otto Wels, let them put up the German equivalent of a blue plaque - if there isn’t already one. With the figures as they are there is no satisfactory solution so a compromise is needed, or maybe a big tent in the carpark.
“There is no getting away from the fact that there is a lot of symbolism and history wrapped up here ...” There are also many present problems in the wider world than that incestuous pit of the politicians that need sorting, so, just maybe, some of this sound and fury should be redirected to solving them. Small wonder people are rapidly losing faith and interest in politics and politicians..
I think it’s good that the SPD got its way over this. History and symbolism are still important, and one might hope that at least some of the SPD’s deputies will be inspired by the memory of Otto Wels to stand up to the AfD’s undemocratic policies and practices.
It does also, as you say, need to be inspired to put into practice some policies which will benefit the people it has recently failed to reach.
You might say Vergangenheitsbewältigung, I couldn’t possibly… What a stramash over an austere, unprepossessing room. As a Brit I’m glad precedent was respected and Wels honoured, he has quite the back story. I should have known but I didn’t, I assumed the state of repair of the former Reichstag was the handiwork of the RAF; I thought it had been repaired. Thank you Katja, another morsel of German history with my Sunday morning coffee.
As always, Ms. Hoyer writes a perceptive piece.
I am glad that Ms. Hoyer pays tribute to Otto Wels, one of my heroes.
Though I am not a socialist, I have long held a high opinion of Otto Wels. During the Weimar years, the SPD, for all its profession of "socialism," was a very moderate party -- a strong voice for tolerance, democracy, and the rule of law.
As I witness democracy deteriorating day-by-day here in the USA, I draw inspiration from Otto Wels's courageous words at the Krolloper on 23rd March 1933 -- a last stand for democracy.
Herr Wels is also a hero to me for his helping organize the general strike that aborted the 1920 Kapp–Lüttwitz Putsch, which would have killed the Weimar Republic in its cradle.
Sadly, Otto Wels died in Paris little more than a fortnight after the outbreak of the Second World War. He died the day after his 66th birthday and is interred in France.
The Zentrum Reich Chancellor Heinrich Brüning -- the "Hunger Chancellor" whose foolish austerity during the Depression did so much to make the NSDAP the leading party in the Reichstag -- called Otto Wels "Germany's bravest man in the fight against Hitler."
Mark Bernkopf
Arlington, Virginia
They are the second largest party with 30 more Abgeordneten so they should get the bigger room , just read the Weimar years by Frank mc , excellent read , looking forward to yours katya 👍
The suggestion that this dispute over who has the bigger room has anything to do with democracy is ridiculous. Democracy is supposed to be about the government of the people, this is a squabble between political parties over a matter that I doubt was ever part of any party manifesto and thus never voted on by the people. The original reasoning behind the allocation of room space was always dubious, making too many assumptions about the immutability of the future. If the SPD wants a memorial to Otto Wels, let them put up the German equivalent of a blue plaque - if there isn’t already one. With the figures as they are there is no satisfactory solution so a compromise is needed, or maybe a big tent in the carpark.
“There is no getting away from the fact that there is a lot of symbolism and history wrapped up here ...” There are also many present problems in the wider world than that incestuous pit of the politicians that need sorting, so, just maybe, some of this sound and fury should be redirected to solving them. Small wonder people are rapidly losing faith and interest in politics and politicians..
Day by day politics can be so bad for the adrenalin. Am glad SPD not thrown out on basis of first change of count of votes. Need longer time vistas.
I think it’s good that the SPD got its way over this. History and symbolism are still important, and one might hope that at least some of the SPD’s deputies will be inspired by the memory of Otto Wels to stand up to the AfD’s undemocratic policies and practices.
It does also, as you say, need to be inspired to put into practice some policies which will benefit the people it has recently failed to reach.
You might say Vergangenheitsbewältigung, I couldn’t possibly… What a stramash over an austere, unprepossessing room. As a Brit I’m glad precedent was respected and Wels honoured, he has quite the back story. I should have known but I didn’t, I assumed the state of repair of the former Reichstag was the handiwork of the RAF; I thought it had been repaired. Thank you Katja, another morsel of German history with my Sunday morning coffee.
This typical German issue is pathetic and utmost undemocratic.
The times ,as Bob Dylan once wrote, are a changing .
As usual, the Left fails to respect democracy.