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Constitutional Convention birthday party in the shadow of the AfD
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the new exhibition “The Will to Freedom and Democracy. The Constitutional Convention of Herrenchiemsee 1948” in the Old Castle in Herrenchiemsee, Bavaria. photo
© Peter Kneffel/dpa
At the ceremony marking the birth of the Basic Law, the warning tones and concerns about enemies of the constitution prevail. Not only the speech of the Federal President shows: Democracy is in danger.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier commemorated the birth of the Basic Law with blatant attacks on the AfD and all enemies of democracy. “We all have it in our hands, the despisers of ours To put democracy in its place,” said Steinmeier at the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the constitutional convention in the New Palace in Herrenchiemsee.
“And we all – every politician, but also every citizen – we have a common responsibility for our democracy. We have to protect it.”
Clear words from Steimeier
“Let’s remember that our democracy emerged in the shadow of dictatorship, war and genocide. And let’s recognize what is at stake for our democracy today,” emphasized Steinmeier.
Without naming the AfD, which is currently strong in the polls, he added that no voter could “talk their way out of mitigating circumstances if they openly strengthen political forces that contribute to the brutalization of our society and the erosion of 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.”
This is the constitutional convention
The so-called constitutional convention took place in August 1948 in the old castle on Herrenchiemsee. It was convened by the prime ministers of the countries in the western occupation zones. Together with experts, the convention drew up a constitution in just two weeks, which ultimately became decisive for the drafting of the German Basic Law.
On the occasion of the celebrations, Steinmeier also opened a newly designed exhibition on the convention in the Old Palace. “Among the important moments in the history of German democracy, the Herrenchiemsee constitutional convention is probably one of the least known. It is one of the most important,” he said.
In the fight against extremism there is a historical lesson that runs like a red thread through the draft constitution of Herrenchiemsee. 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.” This also includes the will to contradict the “trumping lies of freedom enemies”. “We must not ignore the danger they pose.”
A “clear, resolute, even militant contradiction by the democratic parties” is required “when agitators in public meetings of city councils or local councils denigrate our democracy as a “system”, “unjust regime” or “dictatorship” and discredit democratic institutions and make them despicable,” said Steinmeier.
That’s what Ilse Aigner and Markus Söder say
The two hosts of the ceremony, Bavarian State President Ilse Aigner and Prime Minister Markus Söder (both CSU) also emphasized the values of democracy in their speeches and called for the protection of the constitution and freedom and attacked the AfD for their part. Aigner did not name the AfD by name, but spoke of “representatives of a party”. They used conspiracy theories and violated the human dignity of entire groups of people “with hatred and hate speech,” she said. Germany has already had to experience how a democracy has failed.
“No freedom for the enemies of freedom,” said Söder and called for all democrats to unite in the fight against all enemies of democracy. “We want to protect the constitution and defend freedom,” he said. “And if it gets difficult, we’re ready to go that route.”