German writer Marko Martin was asked to speak at the commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in the residence of the German president. Martin reminded the audience that it was not the Germans, but above all the Poles who led to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. He also attacked the ceremony host, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for his support for the Nord Stream project and close ties with Russia.
The commemoration of the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification process is an important political and historical event for modern Germany. It is often portrayed as the crucial moment for the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe.
This year’s commemoration was “disrupted” in its classic form by an interesting speech by an Estonian-German writer Marko Martin who decided to deconstruct the popular myths behind the revolutions in 1989.
“Dear Federal President, Ladies and Gentlemen, but above all distinguished Polish guests, including heroes of the Solidarity revolution and co-initiators of the strike at the Gdansk shipyard: Without your courage, the events of 1989 would not have happened at all. Since you were not invited to today’s all-German panel, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you sincerely,” Marko Martin started his speech.
These words were received with surprise as the celebrations are usually focused on German history. Nevertheless, the guest continued his speech:
“Millions of GDR citizens did not take to the streets then, but simply waited behind the curtains in the living room – which, by the way, is not a value judgement, but simply a fact check (…). If today – more importantly than ever – there is a civil society in the GDR, it is above all thanks to the extremely courageous demonstrators of the autumn of 1989, their children, and now often even their grandchildren, in the large and medium-sized cities of the GDR,” Marko Martin said describing the events of 1989.
“Although the Polish resistance movement was inspiring to GDR civil rights activists, a large part of the population was influenced by completely different views. Why, it was stated at the time, did the Poles not simply go to work instead of going on strike and constantly demanding freedom, ‘teasing’ us? I have been thinking about this very early experience of refusal of solidarity for a long time now. Is it not repeated today in the icy demands by which the invaded Ukraine is urged to finally give up its resistance and surrender without a fight to the Russian occupier,” Marko Martin reminded.
“In 1982, for example, Egon Bahr described Solidarity in the magazine Vorwärts as “a threat to world peace”. A disgrace that the poet Peter Rühmkorf, still widely revered today as a subversive intellectual, affirmed in the stern tone of the Nazi fathers’ generation: ‘No one in the world can impose anything more on the Polish people than work and discipline – but who dares to impose them?” the writer said.
The writer also referred to the marginalisation of the CEE leadership in the decision-making process regarding EU relations with Russia, especially regarding security threats.
“And again, with no small of arrogance, the clear warnings from Eastern Europe were ignored. And it is Eastern Europe under threat that will have to suffer the consequences.”
After that remark, Mr Martin referred to modern German politics describing the consequences of the country’s economic policy for the CEE region.
“Gerhard Schröder, the still unpunished, boastful friend of the mass murderer in the Kremlin is now assured by the new SPD general secretary that there will be a place for him within the ranks of the German Social Democracy. This, incidentally, sounds just as appalling as the words uttered in 2016 by the then foreign minister (Steinmeier!) that NATO manoeuvres on the eastern flank to protect the democracies there were ‘sabre waving and warmongering’.Warmongering!” Martin said in his speech.
“Dear Federal President, with all due respect: the Nord Stream project, which the SPD and the CDU clung to for so pitifully long against all legitimate criticism, was only a ‘bridge’ – Your words from spring 2022 – insofar as it further encouraged Putin’s aggression, namely the calculation that Germany, otherwise world champions of moralising, would not let go of the lucrative deal, regardless of Ukraine,” Martin concluded.
According to reports present at the presidential residence, Steinmeier attacked Martin for “undermining the work of many politicians” and during the speech was one to deny any applause for the speaker.
Source: DW Polski, Tysol
Photo:@SekretarzXXL
Tomasz Modrzejewski
