Act of mourning for Schäuble in Berlin – SWR Aktuell

After the moving funeral service in Offenburg at the beginning of January, political Berlin wants to say goodbye to Wolfgang Schäuble. On Monday, the Bundestag will hold a state ceremony of mourning for the deceased former Bundestag President and Federal Minister. Around 1,500 guests from home and abroad are expected, including Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and French President Emmanuel Macron. The SWR broadcasts the act of mourning live on television, on the Internet and on SWR Aktuell Radio.

The You can see the SWR live stream from the Bundestag here:

Bishop praises Schäuble as an “impressive anti-populist”

At a memorial service in Berlin Cathedral at midday, Protestant Bishop Kirsten Fehrs honored Schäuble’s role model function. In her sermon, Fehrs called the deceased an “impressive anti-populist” who is needed especially in these times. “An anti-populist and at the same time a human being who has put himself entirely, with all his strength, passion and dedication, into the service of our community and our democracy,” said the bishop. And further: “What would our country look like now if such a far-sighted politician like him hadn’t negotiated the German unification treaty?”

Act of mourning in the Bundestag – politicians from South Baden there

In the afternoon (3 p.m.) the state mourning ceremony will take place in the Bundestag. Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) will open the memorial hour, CDU leader Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron want to pay tribute to Schäuble in their speeches. Among the guests are the heads of the German constitutional bodies. Many politicians and companions from South Baden are also traveling to Berlin, including the mayors of Freiburg and Offenburg (Ortenaukreis), Martin Horn (independent) and Marco Steffens (CDU).

Farewell to Schäuble – a symbolic date

It was not without reason that January 22nd was chosen as the date for the state ceremony: it is the anniversary of the signing of the Élysée Treaty in 1963, which laid the foundation for the friendship between Germany and France. Schäuble always saw himself as closely linked to this friendship.

SWR broadcasts the act of mourning in a special broadcast

The SWR is reporting live on the state mourning ceremony in Berlin. Stefanie Haiber will moderate the approximately one-hour live broadcast “SWR Extra – Act of Mourning for Wolfgang Schäuble – Commemoration in the German Bundestag”. The special program will be broadcast on TV, on the web and on the radio. Afterwards it will be available in the ARD media library.

Funeral service at the beginning of January in Offenburg

At the beginning of January, Schäuble was buried in his hometown of Offenburg in the presence of family, high officials and political associates. In a moving memorial service, politicians and Schäuble’s daughter Christine Strobl highlighted the deceased’s decades-long work, honored his contributions to, among other things, German unification and painted the picture of a person who was at peace with himself and his death. The coffin was accompanied to the cemetery with a military escort of honor and a funeral procession. At Schäuble’s express request, the public was also allowed to attend the funeral in the historic Waldbach Cemetery. Numerous people attended the ceremony, although the immediate vicinity of the grave was initially reserved for selected guests.

Wolfgang Schäuble – a life for politics

The former head of the Chancellery, Federal Minister of the Interior and Finance, CDU leader and President of the Bundestag died on Boxing Day at the age of 81 in his hometown of Offenburg. No one has been a member of the Bundestag longer than him – a total of 51 years.